The Starjammer
by Sir Tawmis
Summary: Back in the day I started something called "Alternate Marvel" where Heroes Reborn never happened and Onslaught was defeated. I recruited several fellow fanfic writers to write in a shared Universe. One of my titles was Starjammers. This story is about 15 years old, I think. Posting to have it archived.


STARJAMMERS

Corsair - Christopher Summers! Raza! Ch'od! Hepzibah! Cr+eee! Carol Daverns! X-Treme - Adam-X! Lockheed! Sikorsy! Keeyah - Kree pilot (male)! Lilandra!

CHAPTER ONE: "To the Stars"

"It's good to see ya, Christopher."

Christopher Summers, better known as Corsair, nodded his head. "A pleasure to see you, Moira."

"What brings ye here?" Moira asked, pulling off the facial mask she wore.

"I was in New York," Corsair said. "I saw X-Mansion and saw it was in... bad condition. What happened? None of the X-Men were there... Not a single one. And from the looks of it..."

Moira nodded her head. "Onslaught," she whispered.

"On what?" Corsair asked, a bit confused.

"Onslaught," Moira repeated. "It was bad."

"Are the X-Men fine? Is Scott... Alex..." He began fearing the answer.

Moira shook her head. "No, they should be fine. Excalibur remained here in case Onslaught could not be defeated. We were the next runners up to take down Onslaught if it got passed them."

Moira turned and, with the flick of a few switches, hailed X-Mansion. After some static, the signal came on. There, on the screen, was Professor Xavier.

"Professor," Moira's voice was soft, and extremely tender. "How... how are you feeling?"

"Better," Professor Xavier whispered. "Thank you for asking, Moira. Is that Corsair behind you?"

Corsair stepped around Moira. "Yes, it is. How are you, Professor?"

"I am... fine," Professor Xavier answered, and Corsair knew there was something more to this Onslaught. He could tell, both by how Moira had talked to the Professor - like a nurse to an old patient, and by the way Professor Xavier replied, his answers and tone. Corsair didn't need to be a telepath to know there was far more to this than he could even begin to guess. "I had stopped by there with the Starjammer, and no one was home."

"Yes," Professor Xavier sighed. "It has been... very busy around here."

"Looks that way," Corsair smiled. "How is Scott?"

Professor Xavier smiled weakly. "He is fine."

"And Alex? How is he doing?"

Professor Xavier was silent. The Professor looked at Corsair, his eyes deep and mournful. Corsair's eyes began to widen, his heart began to quicken. "Tell me," Corsair said again. "Alex... how is he?"

The Professor had been through a great ordeal recently - his mind was half clouded as it was. Trying to find the right words to say to Corsair seemed to be next to impossible. Corsair felt Moira's hand gently on his shoulder, which he quickly shook off.

"Damn it Charles, tell me now!" Corsair's voice had grown extremely angry.

"Alex disappeared after an explosion. We have been unable to locate him since then..." It was Moira who had answered Corsair's question, seeing the Professor falter.

Corsair's eyes widened. "Do you... I mean... is he...?"

Professor Xavier shook his head, finally able to speak.

Perhaps only because it was somewhat good news. "No body was found. We are not sure what has happened, but rest assured we are putting all of our effort into finding him, Corsair."

Corsair looked down. "I... I believe you Charles."

They spoke for a brief moment, and Corsair finally turned around. "Well, I guess it's time to go then."

"Before you go," Moira said. "Funny you should show up. I have someone that would like to go with you."

Corsair turned around. "What? Who?"

"Christopher, I would like you to meet Adam-X." She gestured toward a young man, blond hair raging down his back. Four long, blond pony tails did not hide the sharp facial features, the hawk like eyes - and strangely pointed ears. "He came to Charles Xavier, seeking answers."

"Pleasure," Adam-X said, extending his hand. Immediately Corsair took note of the number of blades on Adam-X's glove, around his arm, and on his armor. This young man was a warrior; that much was clear.

Moira waited, and watched the two before she continued. "He seeks to find out his past."

"Charles should have been able to help with that," Corsair smiled. "Strongest telepath and all."

"He could have..." Moira began. "At one time. After the Onslaught ordeal, Charles' mental telepathy isn't what it used to be... right now."

Again with the Onslaught. What could it have been that would have affected the X-Men so?

"Charles asked that I check into him, using my expertise in genetics," Moira began. "As it turns out, Adam has all the signs of being part Shi'ar."

"Part Shi'ar?" Corsair asked. He looked at Adam. "That might be why you look familiar to me. Have I seen you around the Shi'ar Throne World?"

Adam shook his head. "I am afraid not. That is where I would like to go, however. It seems that is where the pieces lead."

"You're a long way from home then," Corsair smiled. "It'd be my pleasure to have you aboard. As a matter of fact, Lilandra is with us now. She... used to run the Shi'ar Throne World, but now her sister, Deathbird, runs it. We're on our way back to have ourselves a little rebellion."

Adam smiled. "Action," he nodded. "Just what I need."

They shook hands firmly. "Welcome aboard the Starjammer then."

"Is there room for one more?" a voice came from the shadows. Corsair's brows came together. He recognized the voice, but had not heard it in a very long time. "Carol? Is that you?"

From the shadows, Carol Davers stepped out. "It's been a long time, Captain."

Corsair laughed at the idea of being called 'Captain'. "What are you doing here?"

"Same reason," she began. "As your newest member."

"Looking for your past?" he chuckled.

"No. Genetics," she said somewhat somberly.

"What for?" Corsair asked, puzzled.

"I lost my powers as Binary," she began.

"What?" Corsair asked, shocked. "How?"

"Not sure," she shrugged. "They sort of just... went away."

"So... you're... human again?" Corsair asked, surprised.

"I have always been human, Corsair," she smiled faintly. "I have some powers - strength, flight, a few others... but nothing like what I had as Binary." She paused for a moment. "Moira has taken a look at my genetic makeup - and everything from being turned into Ms. Marvel, to the Brood tampering, and back again - Moira can't make much of my genetic makeup. That's why... I want to go with you."

Carol stepped forward. "If you will have me."

Moira's eyes widened. "What? Carol? Why?"

"I was in space once, as Binary, and as Carol*, and I was never happier. I want to go back there. It is where I belong. Let me go back as Warbird now..." Carol began to explain.

Corsair's mouth dropped. "I would love to welcome you back... And the Starjammer will be more than glad to see you... And Raza..."

"I am surprised by your sudden decision, Carol," Moira admitted, looking up at her. "I didn't expect that you would go back..."

"I know," Carol sighed. "It's just, I always felt so much at peace surrounded by the stars... There is nothing left for me here... Rogue has erased all my old memories, and, as much as the Professor may have restored them with his telepathy, the emotions have been stripped... So I can remember things; I just don't know if I am sad or happy about them... In space, all that was gone... I was my own person; I had started over... I was happy."

Moira knew about starting over herself. She took a deep breath. She wanted to argue against it - but there was little she could provide for an argument. "I understand, lass."

"Is everyone leaving?" Her name was Katherine Pryde. She had been with the X-Men for most of her life. She was also a founding member of the London-based team, Excalibur. She, too, was with the X-Men and Carol Davers during the episode with the Brood. It was there she had met her pet dragon, which had adopted her. She had named the small, purple dragon Lockheed. In recent days, she has paid little attention to Lockheed... And that is why she was surprised to see Lockheed fly past her suddenly and wrap himself around Corsair's neck, making a strange humming sound. "It would seem Lockheed wants to join us as well," Corsair smiled, petting the small dragon.

"But he can't -!" Shadowcat stepped forward, raising her hand in protest.

Moira looked sadly at Katherine Pryde. "Kitty," she began. "You have not had a lot of time for Lockheed. Remember, the stars are his home. I am sure he will come back with Corsair when they return to Earth. Lockheed probably misses his home, as much as any one of us might. As busy as you have been of late, is it no wonder he has had a lot of time to sit around here."

Her name was Katherine Pryde, and her heart aches desperately. Approaching Corsair, and gently petting Lockheed on the head, Lockheed gave a gentle "coo" sound and Kitty smiled. She looked up at Corsair. "Bring him back alive. I haven't paid him a lot of attention lately, but I miss him already."

Corsair touched Kitty's cheek. "Don't worry, Katherine." The name stung. It reminded Corsair of his deceased wife, murdered by the mad man, D'Ken. "Lockheed here is going to come back safe and sound."

His eyes looked up. "Is everyone else ready? It's time to go."

X-Treme and Carol Daverns followed Corsair and Lockheed out to the center of the grass. Corsair looked at his glove and smiled. "Energize." And they were gone...

Katherine looked over Moira's shoulder. "So, do you believe Adam-X is who he claims to be?"

"I don't know, Katherine," Moira sighed. "But if his genetic code is any clue..." She paused, not sure what to make of what she had learned. "When Corsair said Adam-X looked familiar, I was hoping for a connection of some kind... Now, who knows. But I have seen pictures of Scott's mother... And the blond hair, sharp features..."

There was silence. They both thought the same thing. If there was a third Summers brother, his name was Adam-X... The only question was: How was it possible?

· Alex Summers disappeared (see X-Factor story for more, coming soon!)

· The "incident" is in reference to is none other than Onslaught.

· During Uncanny X-Men #161-166 Carol was with the X-Men during the Brood saga

STARJAMMERS

CHAPTER TWO: "Destiny Unfolding."

It had been a sensation Carol Daverns thought she would never feel again. The strange sensation of being "beamed up" to the Starjammer. It was as if her molecules were being pulled apart slowly and then before she knew replaced aboard the ship. There was no amount of pain, only a faint tingling, much like the sensation of when a limb "falls asleep."

Her eyes looked around, and the first person she saw was Raza. A strange expression crossed Raza's face, and his Shi'ar features betrayed him quickly. He had mixed emotions about seeing Carol. Quickly he tried to force his smile, and say, "Captain, it would seem as if thou hast picked up a stowaway."

Corsair turned and looked over his shoulder at Carol, then turned back to Raza. "No, my friend," Corsair laughed. "She needed to get away. And of course, you know Carol, she forced herself right on

us."

Carol gently punched Corsair in the arm and shook her head. "Keep that up, Captain Christopher Summers, and I just might have to kick you from one end of this ship to the other - and we both know how long the ship is!"

She moves like a blur, every movement as graceful as any experienced cat might move. She landed right before Corsair, her feline eyes staring deeply into his. "Missed you I have," she purred, rubbing gently against Corsair, her tail wrapping around his leg. "Does Corsair want to play?"

Hepzibah had never been one to be the least be subtle. He announcement and suggestion had been clearly painted for those who knew the relationship that she and Corsair shared. But no one was ready for the next thing.

Without warning, Hepzibah fell backwards, her feline like eyes wide open. "Katherine?" she whispered. Corsair looked behind him once again, and saw Lockheed. He looked back at Hepzibah and wondered why she acted so strangely. Hepzibah had seen the small, purple dragon before - and she even enjoyed its presence for in a short time the Starjammers were with the X-Men, Lockheed had proved himself a warrior. Corsair didn't want to think about it, and just smiled. "No, only Lockheed came. Kitty remained with the X-Men. It seems her dragon misses the outreaches of space."

Corsair looked at the others who had all been giving him a strange look. "Yes, I know. I didn't go there to pick more people up for our cause, honest!" Corsair pled, holding up his hands. "All I wanted to do was visit my sons!"*

Corsair stepped aside, and bowed slowly. "Everyone, I would also like you to meet our final new member. This is Adam. Adam-X or X-Treme, depending on his mood, as I understand it." Corsair offered a gentle smile to Adam-X who nodded his head back to them. There was a shift of tension within the room, and a strange silence broke over theStarjammers.

Corsair shook his head. "Come on, people! It's not like this is the first time we have had a stranger with us! He doesn't need all of you gawking at him as if he were some kind of ghost!" He put his arm around Hepzibah and his other arm around Adam-X. "Let me show you around, and make introductions. This here," Corsair said, gesturing to the beautiful, feline like woman in his right arm. "This is Hepzibah, my lady love. She is a Mephistoid, which is a feline humanoid with combat skills, catlike grace and acrobatic skills. Your probably noticed that when she pounced on me. She also serves as the Starjammer's gunner, and hated the Shi'ar with a passion."

Approaching a large green, reptilian like creature, Corsair winked at Adam-X. "Don't let his massive size fool you. This is Ch'od. A Saurid from the plant Timor, Ch'od is from a race of scientist-philosophers that were used as mercenaries by the Sh'iar because of their great physical strength and endurance. He was in a Shi'ar prison when he met me and became a pirate on the Starjammer. The white furry thing on his shoulder that looks somewhat like what Earth calls a ferret, is none other than Cr+eee. Cr+eee also has the rest of his family running around here somewhere, so don't be alarmed if you wake up and your have a white ball of fur cuddled up next to you."

Approaching a Shi'ar member, Corsair smiles. "This is the one I was telling you about. This is Raza Longknife. He likes to be called just Raza. Raza joined his people in rebellion against their conquerors, however, while the rest of his people died in glorious battle, Raza was captured and transformed into a cyborg. He retained his skills with the sword and blaster, but is now faster, stronger and tougher than ever. He's the one I told you could probably give you a good workout. He is nearly indestructible and has survived in vacuum, and could probably weather a nuclear explosion. After breaking out of prison, Raza joined the rest of us Starjammers to fight the Shi'ar and repay them for denying him the chance to die

well."

Approaching the front of the ship, Corsair introduced a young looking alien. "This is Keeyah. He is a Kree member of the anarchist group of worlds known as the Clench. Keeyah is the newest member of the Starjammer's crew. He serves as her pilot and navigator."

Next to Keeyah drifted a small green machine, which resembled a large fly. "This here is the ever lovable Sikorsy. He will take some getting used to, but he means well. He is our medic basically around here."

Corsair looked around. "Have a look around the ship. I am pretty tired, and think I should get to bed."

Hepzibah purred gently, and everyone knew… the last thing Corsair would be getting this night would be sleep…

"He's quick, I will give the boy that much," Ch'od wheezed as he lunged forward, and then having to suddenly fall backwards to avoid Raza's blade from hitting his tough, green scaly hide.

Adam-X jumped over Raza's blade, but ducked under Ch'od's powerful fists. Using the blades extended from Adam's gloves, he parried Raza's second swing of the sword, and locked the sword between the blades of his glove in his left hand. With his right hand he swung backwards, barely missing Ch'od, but still managing to nick his green hide. Ch'od laughed. "Well, he's quick, but I dodged that."

Adam didn't even answer, instead he now lunged his left hand downward, forcing Raza to follow because of his sword being locked with Adam's blades. This threw Raza off enough to allow Adam to jump over Raza and nick him in the shoulder.

It had been a massive work out. They had been going at it now for almost five hours. It was time to end it. Raza and Ch'od stood side by side, grinning at Adam, whom they thought they had cornered now. "It's time to end this, bast'jaks," Adam-X smiled.

"Thou hast read our very thoughts," Raza smiled.

"Just give up now," Ch'od chuckled.

"No way," Adam smiled back, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'd rather burn!"

As the word "burn" fell from his lips - Raza and Ch'od screamed, and fell. The small cut that Adam had managed to give Ch'od across the chest, and the small nick into Raza's shoulder was enough to ignite the electrolytes in their blood, once their skin was exposed to air and oxygenated.

Raza was the first up on his feet again. He looked at Adam and smiled. "It did not hurt me, so much as surprise me. My circuits have adjusted themselves, and have now stored the information of what you are able to do, as well as memorize your moves. Every time we train, I will know more about you and the way you fight."

Adam helped Ch'od up who was still alarmingly dazed. Adam looked at Raza. "Now if only your circuits could tell me who I am, and what my past is…"

Sikorsy hovered above Carol Daverns. "Sikorsy can not detect any ailments within Carol Daverns."

Carol sat up, and heaved a sigh.

"Pardon, Sikorsy, but it would appear that Carol Daverns is distraught over the news that Sikorsy has given her," the sentient flying machine pointed out. "Was Carol seeking to be ill?"

"No," Carol sighed. "I was not hoping to be ill. I was just hoping that you would be able to detect something… the reason why I lost my power as Binary. It cost me my membership in the Avengers."

"Sikorsy still awaiting some test results, may explain why," Sikorsy added.

"I doubt if it will my friend," Carol stood up and stretched. "Since the Starjammer has such advanced equipment, I thought if there was a way to learn what happened, what made me lose my power as Binary, it would have been here."

"Sikorsy sorry," the flying droid whispered. "Sikorsy wishes he had better news."

Lockheed wasn't amused. Or he looked as if he wasn't. Cr+eee's smaller pups clung onto Lockheed's neck as he flew around in circles. They made chittering noises that showed they were having quite a good time, despite how much Lockheed seemed to be annoyed… But deep down inside, Cr+eee's younger pups reminded the small, purple dragon of his own kind… Gone, perhaps forever…

Corsair was lying next to her side, asleep after a rather active night. Hepzibah played with some of his course, brown hair, twirling it in her fingers, staring down at the face of the man she had come to love and respect.

As a man, Corsair had endured much. It was while he was still on Earth. He was a pilot for a branch of Earth's armed forces. But this time, it would be while he was piloting his own plane, with his beloved wife, Katherine, and his two, very young sons at the time, Scott and Alex Summers. This had been about 20 human years ago, or so. It was when a teleport beam yanked Corsair, who had been known as Christopher Summers, and his wife Katherine aboard the starship. Katherine had put the parachute on Scott and Alex, and shoved them out of the plane. They assumed their sons to be dead, when they watched as the parachute had caught on fire. It was a Shi'ar scouting mission. To them, Katherine-Anne and Corsair were zoological specimens, representing the higher orders of life on Earth. Corsair and his wife were separated. On the Imperial Throne World, Corsair had managed to escape the slave pens and set out to find wife. She was with the Emperor at the time, a madman known as D'Ken. Corsair had made the fatal mistake then of not trying not to kill him with his bare hands instead of shooting him down where he stood. Guards came to D'Ken's rescue, and they wanted to execute Corsair on the spot, but D'Ken had other ideas... D'Ken ordered the death of Katherine-Anne's right before Corsair's eyes. D'Ken forced Corsair to watch as he plunged a dagger straight into Katherine's heart… killing her.

Hepzibah looked down at Corsair again, this time with a different look. One born out of concern. Had Corsair not seen it? Was he so oblivious? Or was it Hepzibah's feline eyes that allowed her to see something that Corsair's human eyes could not?

· Corsair is the father of Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Alex Summers (Havok)

STARJAMMERS

CHAPTER THREE: "The Bounty."

"He is rather amazing, isn't he Corsair?" Ch'od asked. Cr+eee who was sitting on Ch'od's shoulder whistled in agreement. Corsair however stared, transfixed by every move that Adam-X made. He itched his chin thoughtfully and finally added, "Yes, yes he is. It's impressive when someone can give Raza or Hepzibah a run for their money - but to be beating them both at their own game…"

Corsair shook his head. "There's more to Adam-X than we know. I can't wait until we get to the Shi'ar Empire to get him checked out. From what he has told Raza, he has had dealings with someone claiming to be Eric the Red." *

Inside the very room that Corsair, Ch'od and Cr+eee monitor, three bodies are pushing themselves to their limits. Raza - captured and transformed into a cyborg. He retained his skills with the sword and blaster, but is now faster, stronger and tougher than ever. He is nearly indestructible and has survived in vacuum, and could probably weather a nuclear explosion.

His teammate in this game is none other than the feline like Hepzibah - an alien race known as Mephistoid; which gives her the feline humanoid appearance with combat skills, catlike grace and acrobatic skills to match.

Their opponent is one man. His name is Adam-X. He wishes he knew more about himself, but his own past is nothing but a series of blurred images. He can hardly recall back any years - he only remembers his life with Michelle Balters while working for a man named Strong. But the images in his mind… they were not of Earth.

They were of some distant planet. Some throne world so far away… like a dream. He has the mutant ability to ignite someone's blood cells once he has oxygenated the blood. This by far is not his only ability… gifted with extreme dexterity, above normal sight and hearing, Adam-X was one not to anger.

The object of the game is to destroy as many floating shock balls as you can. However additional points are earned when you also strike one of your opponents on their armor, designed for the game.

Also, points are lost if one of the shock balls strikes the armor with an electrical shock.

As if all this was not difficult enough, objects and obstacles move throughout the room in a completely random fashion. So not only must they destroy as many shock balls; but they must also strike their opponents; watch out for their opponents; watch out for shock balls; dodge and avoid any random obstacles and objects moving through the room at any given time.

No sane person would last more than three minutes in this room of chaos. No sane person would even want to try to last three minutes in this room. For Raza, Hepzibah and Adam-X… well, they are having the time of their lives.

Strobe lights, explosions, gas bombs, shifting floors and large gusts of wind serve as the never-ending attempts for the room computer to be the final victor in this game. Adam-X leaps onto what appears to be a damaged car and looks around, three spikes drawn. Without warning, the ground shakes and splits open, sending the car he was on into a dark pit of gas. "By the talons of T'thyees'sha!" he mutters as he easily leaps upon a flagpole and hangs upside down.

Corsair stops and faces the monitor. "What did he just say?"

Ch'od, puzzled by Corsair's sudden curiosity, fumbles trying to remember. "I am sorry Corsair, I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, but rather his moves. He is extremely agile. Moves like a bird."

Corsair stepped forward. "That's what I am afraid of. Rewind that part of the training tape, Ch'od."

Both Ch'od and Corsair watched the tape as the ground shakes and splits open, sending the car that Adam-X was crouched upon into a dark pit of gas. "By the talons of T'thyees'sha!" he mutters as he easily leaps upon a flagpole and hangs upside down.

Ch'od and Corsair looked at one another.

"He's definitely got Shi'ar blood in him… that's a Shi'ar expression."

Keeyah's voice came over the intercom. "Corsair, I think we might have a problem. A ship just dropped cloak on our right side. It's pinged us. I don't think they're friendly."

Corsair turned, her brows coming together. "What kind of ship is it?"

"A Shi'ar Dreadnought by the looks of it," Keeyah's voiced replied.

"A Shi'ar Dreadnought? What's a Shi'ar Dreadnought doing out here?" Corsair asked, itching his chin thoughtfully.

"Corsair, several small ships seem to have been deployed from the Shi'ar Dreadnought and are heading straight for us."

"Put up the shields," Corsair screamed and began running toward the controls. He turned and shouted back at Ch'od. "Get those three out of there. Until we figure out what is going on, I want all hands on deck."

His command was followed by an explosion somewhere in the Starjammer. "What was that?" Corsair barked into the intercom.

"Our hull has been breached in section Alpha-3.1," Keeyah replied. "Corsair, they're not ships…"

"Sidrian Hunters!" Ch'od yelled, spotting three of them already moving down the hall.

"Section Alpha-3.1 has been sealed and the air has been stabilized," Keeyah announced.

Three blasts of fiery red came from down the hall where the Sidrian Hunters were slowly coming from. Corsair raced to the side and punched the button for the door to open. Rubbing his glove, it fizzled then he drew a gun from what appeared to be bubbles. "What would Sidrian Hunters be doing here? What do they want with us? We're clear with Lilandra. Since they're using Shi'ar Dreadnoughts I would assume Lilandra has something to do with this..." Corsair fired a few beams of laser to discourage the Sidrian Hunters from coming up too fast. "Keeyah, get Lilandra on the system and ask her what the meaning of this madness is."

At that moment, Ch'od on the other side of Corsair, was joined by Adam-X, Hepzibah and Raza. Adam-X smiled. "Sidrian Hunters," he shook his head. "What are they doing around here?"

"That does seem to be the question of the day," Ch'od managed to joke firing a weapon into the three Sidrian Hunters.

"These bast'jaks never learn do they," Adam-X smiled. He easily dodged a multitude of fire from the Sidrian Hunters to join Corsair on the other side.

Corsair fired a few more shots at the Sidrian Hunters. "Know these fellows do you?"

"Yeah," Adam smiled. "Had a run in with them when I was with Captain Marvel. Eric the Red hired them to stop Marvel and I." Adam smiled. "They didn't do very well at all."

"You don't suppose Eric the Red sent them after you, do you?"

Corsair asked, firing a few more rounds of red laser.

"Adam leaned out, threw some razors and looked at Corsair. "I wouldn't imagine he did."

"Why's that?" Corsair asked.

"As far as I know he's dead," Adam replied. "His ship crashed into the cliff side, exploding into a very messy fiery inferno. If he got out of that, I would be whole-heartedly impressed."

"Well, this Eric the Red has been known to come back from the dead from time to time, it's quite a … Marvel, you could say," Corsair smiled, firing another few rounds at the slowly approaching Sidrian Hunters. "The Sidrian Hunters' greatest weakness is intense heat. My blaster will slow them down but it takes something big to really be rid of them."

Adam-X smiles, rolls into the middle of the hallway. With a coy smile towards Corsair he turns and faces the Sidrian Hunters. He dodges the laser fire they offer from their singular, large eyes… and when Adam-X stops he only says one word.

"Burn."

Their scream is horrifying. The sight of them trashing around is disturbing. But these are ruthless bounty hunters, sent to collect and sometimes even kill their targets. No one wanted to find out what the Sidri wanted. They would never talk.

Finally when the ruthless bounty hunters in the hall were dead…

A moment of silence … and awe filled the passage.

"That was impressive," Corsair whistled.

"It is something I learned when I dealt with them with Captain Marvel," Adam-X smiled. For some reason… he found great pleasure in knowing that Corsair was honestly impressed with what he had done.

Keeyah's voice came over the intercom again. "The other Sidri are not able to get past our shields, but it looks as if they are returning to the Shi'ar Dreadnought. If that is the case, they will probably begin open firing on us. We could take it for quite some time, but the Starjammer is not in the best of moods after getting one of its hulls breached."

"Then get us out of here, Keeyah," Corsair barked.

The Starjammer had jumped into light speed… leaving the Shi'ar Dreadnought full of Sidrian Hunters behind. Corsair approached Keeyah and sat down at his own chair. "Any luck hailing Lilandra?"

Keeyah turned. "Corsair, I think you might want to look at this. It is a broadcast that I discovered while trying to hail Lilandra. It seems this broadcast has been emitting itself for some time. Let me get it to the beginning of the tape."

It appeared to be a meeting of alien races. Most of which the Shi'ar Empire had married or adopted as theirs to rule. It seemed to be a meeting of peace when suddenly the wall had exploded. Terrorists of several different alien races burst into the room firing randomly. Some of the alien representatives were killed on sight. Some killed even after they had surrendered peacefully to the terrorists. Lilandra was one of the lucky ones. She was taken alive. Since it had been a meeting of peace, none of the representatives had brought any weapons, so it was a battle that was over before it had begun. A midst the clearing was none other than one of the Shi'ar's own admirals. A Shi'ar man by the name of Admiral Jak'ox. At his side none other than Lady K'smet'vis.

Raza's eyes flared once he saw Lady K'smet'vis.

She had been the one that had captured Raza and refused to let him die an honorable death…

STARJAMMERS

CHAPTER FOUR "Contract"

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hephzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

"Corsair," Keeyah shook his head. "We have company."

"Same one that's been following us?" Corsair asked, sitting in his chair.

"Affirmative," Keeyah nodded. "One and the same."

"Did they think that we couldn't detect them?" Corsair chuckled.

"Apparently so," Keeyah looked to Corsair with a smile. "What can we say about the Shi'ar? They're naive and foolish."

"And they're about to learn what it means to mess with the Starjammers," Corsair sat back and smiled. "Hey Zee, you ready?"

Hephzibah purred with delight. "Ready I am," she said. "Guns set to Maximum Burn, cycled and ready. Secondaries are channeling and on standby."

Corsair turned back to Keeyah. "You heard the lady. Let's dance."

"With pleasure."

Keeyah gave a firm tug to the controls, and for a ship its size, one thing the Starjammer indeed had was grace. Pulling up smoothly, as if made of liquid, the Starjammer easily and eagerly responded to every single one of Keeyah's commands.

Soon enough the Starjammer was hovering in space, facing a Shi'ar Dreadnaught. Each seemed to drift in space, facing one another in cold silence.

Meanwhile, aboard the Shi'ar Dreadnaught, the chief pilot turned to the Captain. "Sir, I don't know how they knew this… but scanners indicate that their weapons are fully energized!"

"Impossible!" Captain Her'nell hissed. "We were cloaked. They should have never known we were behind them. It should take them minutes to charge their weapons."

"Sir, our readings indicate, the Starjammer's weapons are fully charged," the chief pilot repeated. "And she's pointed right at us."

"So what?" Captain Her'nell hissed. "We're a Shi'ar Fearless Class Dreadnaught. Our ship dwarfs that puny ship. Her cannons can't do anything to us."

"I'd have to say otherwise," one of the other pilots piped up. "The HMSS Starjammer is a known crew of pirates who have modified the original model. Who knows what kind of weapons they have."

"If your Queen heard you speaking such spineless words she'd have your heart," Captain Her'nell growled. "Now I will not be a part of a spineless crew. Attack the Starjammer! Destroy it!"

Meanwhile, back on the HMSS Starjammer…

Hephzibah shook her head. "Their weapons are nearly fully charged. It looks like they're going to fire on us, Corsair."

"Do me a favor," Corsair sighed. "Stop calling me Corsair. Chris or Christopher Summers would be fine. My days as a Corsair are long over."

"Sure thing, Corsair," Hephzibah smiled. "What do you want me to do?"

"Get ready," Corsair smiled. "Get ready."

Two fiery red bolts fired from the Shi'ar Dreadnaught, to which the Starjammer easily responded to, going from a still movement, to suddenly full blast, straight up, easily dodging the fired blasts. Inside the medical lab, Adam-X suddenly grabbed for the cabinet, as the Starjammer adjusted itself. "Bast'jak," he growled. "What's going on?"

Sikorsy, the small, insect like medical droid hovered over Carol for a brief moment. "Play they do," it whirled and whizzed. "With the Shi'ar. Anger them."

"And they do this on purpose?" Adam asked, straightening himself out.

"Often," Sikorsy seemed to reply, flatly.

"Wonderful," Adam muttered. "I have gone and stranded myself with madmen."

Carol sat up and looked at Sikorsy. "Anything?"

"Still nothing have I found," the insect droid whizzed. "Puzzled I am. Change has your genetics. Tampering there has been. Mutating they are."

"Wonderful," Carol sighed. "Wonderful." She slowly climbed out of the medic chair. "As for Corsair and the rest of the Starjammers," she placed a reassuring hand on Adam's shoulder as she passed him. "You won't find a better captain or crew - or for that matter - a better set of friends, than what you have here aboard this ship."

In the cockpit of the HMSS Starjammer Keeyah was having the time of his life. Corsair, leaning forward in his chair, smiled. "Time to play the Millennium Attack Plan."

Keeyah, paused - just for a moment - and looked at Corsair. "And you're sure this plan will work?"

"It worked in the movies," Corsair smiled.

"The what?" Keeyah asked.

"Never mind," Corsair waved his hand. "Trust me."

"That's why I am here," Keeyah chuckled. "Let's do it."

With a hard thrust forward, the Starjammer suddenly slammed into full speed and was heading directly for the Shi'ar Dreadnaught. At the last second they pulled up, before slamming into the main viewport for the Shi'ar Dreadnaught.

Within the Shi'ar Dreadnaught there was utter confusion. "What do you mean you can't pick them up on the scanners?"

"Like I said," the chief pilot shrugged. "There's no indication of their vessel on the scanners. When they pulled up… they… simply vanished."

"Did they warp?" Captain Her'nell hissed.

"No," the chief pilot replied. "Though they were at top speed, their warp engines were not charged or even on standby. There's no way they could have made a warp without the engines being ready."

"So you're telling me they simply vanished?"

"It would appear so."

It was at that very moment, the back engines of the Starjammer suddenly came into view directly in front of the viewport. Suddenly the HMSS Starjammer's engines kicked in full gear, blasting the viewport in a fiery inferno of flame. Panic struck those within the cockpit of the Shi'ar Dreadnaught, as a natural reaction, before realizing that the viewport would be able to sustain such damage. As the Starjammer blasted off after a moment of letting its engines burn onto the viewport, the members of the Shi'ar Dreadnaught realized something. Without the warp shield down, the viewport could take the damage, but it was extremely fragile. At best, they would have to move at their slowest speeds until getting the viewport repaired, because the smallest thing could shatter it, after being exposed to the full heated blast of the Starjammer's engines, then suddenly being exposed to the extreme cold of space.

Once Captain Her'nell had realized that the crew of the Starjammers had been able to disable and entire Shi'ar Dreadnaught with hardly breaking a sweat he was furious. He had now realized that the Starjammer was hugging the hull of the Shi'ar Dreadnaught, and that's how it had vanished - the ship was below radar range. It had slowly, and quietly made it's way to the front, where the viewport was, and blasted it full blast with fiery engines. The sudden shift in temperature from fiery engine to deep cold space had made the windows extremely fragile.

They had, in essence, been defeated by a far inferior ship, and as far as Captain Her'nell was concerned, a far more inferior crew. And this only served to feed the fire of rage within him.

As the Starjammer made another pass, Captain Her'nell heard the chief pilot say something. The words weren't clear, for his anger had his heart beating so loudly, he could scarcely even think clearly. But the words didn't need to be repeated. With a sinking feeling, Captain Her'nell knew what was said. His eyes went to the viewport, and his sense of sight confirmed what his sense of hearing had missed.

A missile from the HMSS Starjammer had been fired at its viewport.

The Shi'ar Dreadnaught could not move. Their engines were not powered up. It'd take minutes before they were ready, and by then it'd be too late. And even if they could power their engines, they'd have to move extremely fast - something the viewport would not be able to sustain. Either way, they were clearly dead.

Captain Her'nell watched his final moments as the missile grew closer, until it finally struck the viewport in a fiery explosion… And the Shi'ar Dreadnaught burst into a series of massive explosions…

Corsair pulled Hephzibah into the main hall. "What are you doing? Why did you fire the missile? We had them disabled. That's all we were supposed to do, damn it."

"Forget you what Shi'ar did," Hephzibah jerked her arm free. "Forget you what they did to you? Your wife? Me? Raza? Ch'od? Forget you all that they have done. Fire on us they were going to do. Destroy us, they wanted. We retaliate same way."

"No!" Corsair snapped. "No we don't."

"Maybe you forget slave pits of Chandilar," Hephzibah growled back. "But not I. You thrown there as they murdered your wife. Me there for terrorism. Ch'od and Raza, entire race wiped out because they no follow Shi'ar rule. How much more you need see before you see Shi'ar for what they are? Monsters, Corsair, all of them monsters."

"Damn it," Corsair growled. "I have not forgotten. I live with that every day of my life. I wonder what my life would be if Katherine and I weren't abducted by the Shi'ar… if they had not killed her and if she and I could have lived our lives as normal people on Earth. I think about the ballgames I could have taken Scott and Alex to. I think of being a father to them, watching them grow up. The dates they go on, prom, high school, college. The works. I think about all that, I realize how much I would have loved that life. But damn it, that's not my life. My life ended up being something drastically different than I could have ever planned. I became some kind of space pirate, liberating people from the Shi'ar. I became a Corsair. I sought revenge the Shi'ar for all they had done. For all the plans in my life they ruined. But I began to see my hate only fueled hate. Every time I took a Shi'ar life, that was just one more reason for the Shi'ar to say, 'See, this is why we hate humans. This is why we must enslave them.' And I didn't want that. I wanted to make a difference. That's why I don't want to be called Corsair anymore. Because that's not who I am. I am Christopher Summers. And I want to make a difference."

"Maybe you do," Hephzibah finally said, walking past Corsair. "But agree with you must will not." She paused and turned. "I will not." Walked through the door, Corsair heard her mutter, "Love you I do still, but stupid you are for your dreams."

Corsair stood alone, for as the door shut, darkness enveloped the hall. He stood alone in his thoughts for a moment, and finally said. "I know a man who had a dream much like this," Corsair said, shaking his head. "He's one of the greatest men I have ever come to know. He wants man and mutant to live in peace. Me… I just want alien and man to live in peace." He looked at the door that Hephzibah had walked through and sighed. "So does that make me wrong?"

"Thou art both correct," came a voice from the shadows.

Corsair looked up and immediately recognized Raza. "She hath her reason for vengeance, Corsair. You must understand that."

"I understand it, Raza," Corsair sighed heavily. "I just don't agree with it."

"As thou had asked the shadows, does that then make her wrong since you do not understand it, as she does not understand you?"

"No Raza," Corsair sighed. He then looked up into Raza's eyes. "But it makes it much more difficult to know what her next action is going to be. We run a very tight crew here Raza. I need to know that my crew is going to follow my orders as I say them. Hephzibah may be getting her revenge on the Shi'ar, but at the same time she is jeopardizing all of our lives. I do not know what you plan, Raza, but some day I would like to return to Earth and spend time with my sons, if they're still alive."

Adam entered the recreation room, where Ch'od and Cr+eee were. Ch'od turned to Adam and with a shrug asked, "Have you had any luck with testing?"

"No," Adam answered and threw a blade into a dartboard, striking the center target without even looking. "Sikorsy is pretty wrapped up in running tests on Carol. I couldn't ask him to divide his time between Carol and myself. You have all known her longer, and she appears worried about her loss of Binary powers, I believe she called it?"

"Understood," Ch'od said with a nod of his large, reptilian head. "You are a patient man, Adam. It is to be admired."

"I've gone this long not knowing who I am," he shrugged. "What's a few more years right?" he added with a note of sarcasm.

Corsair's voice suddenly cackled over the loudspeakers throughout the HMSS Starjammer. "Prepare to head for the Shi'ar Throne World. We're getting to the bottom of this one way or the other."

Ch'od sat up. "Has Corsair gone mad? Obviously if a Shi'ar Dreadnaught has been tagging us all of this time, we must have some kind of contract out on us."

"And the Sidri Hunters should be another clue," Adam added. "But it looks like Corsair wants to get to the bottom of this." Adam smiled. "This should be fun."

"Fun," Ch'od said, shaking his head. "Isn't the word."

STARJAMMERS

CHAPTER FIVE "Thy Mother, Thy Master"

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah – Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them – making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

"She's just ahead," Keeyah said as he touched a number of buttons aboard the control panel, "the Shi'ar homeworld."

"Strange that they have not launched an all out attack on us," Corsair commented, leaning on his seat. "Any luck hailing them Raza?"

"Nay," Raza commented staring at the screen. "I show the signal is being received, yet tis they who are not answering or there's no one there to answer."

"Either way," Corsair noted, "that's very unusual."

Lockheed who sat at the top of Corsair's chair gave an agreeing huff. "Ch'od, do we have all shields to the front? This could be an attack to lure us as close as possible, in case we try to jet, we'd be fighting against the gravitational pull."

"Carol, you got the guns?"

"On them," Carol's voice returned over the intercom.

"And remember, no matter what, keep Hepzibah away from the guns."

"Corsair," Raza commented from the side. "She is our best gunner, with no disrespect to Carol's shooting. If this is indeed a trap as it appears to be, perhaps we should have Hepzibah on the guns

as well?"

"Two things," Corsair began. "First, my name is not Corsair anymore. It is Christopher Summers; I'd appreciate it if you called me by my name. The second," he heaved a deep sigh, "right now I am not sure I can trust her at the gunners. I don't want anymore Shi'ar killed. We're here to make a difference not to fight a war."

"As you wish, Corsair," Raza sighed.

"My name is not," Corsair began, halted, then shook his head. "Never mind."

"They began a war with us, Corsair," Raza commented.

"But that war is over, Raza, it's over and done," Corsair returned. "Your war should not be with the Shi'ar, rather it should be with the individuals who did it."

Lady K'smet'vis, Raza thought. Images of what she had done to him retraced through his mind. Raza looked away, "It is sometimes hard to forget the race that has wronged you, and remember only the person that wronged you."

"I know," Corsair replied. "On Earth, it is the seed of prejudice that inspires such thoughts."

Little can ever prepare one for the casualties of war. The grotesque form it takes in death and dying. The way the bodies are broken and shattered, like forgotten toys.

"What happened here?" Corsair asked, stepping over two deceased Shi'ar. "God," he whispered, "what could have done this?"

Corsair turned towards Ch'od, "You picking up any life forms."

"Short of us, Corsair," Ch'od replied, "there is very little alive."

When one has seen the glory of the Shi'ar Empire, one might think that the heavens themselves forged its glory. The Shi'ar prided themselves on their glory, their city, their power. Now, all that was left of that, was ruin, death and chaos.

Corsair turned his head towards Raza, "I don't suppose this makes you feel vindicated does it?"

"No," Raza replied quietly. "Some of these people were innocent victims."

"My point exactly," Corsair whispered. Corsair saw a small, burned body. "Some," he choked, "were even children."

"Who could have done such a thing?" Ch'od asked, looking around.

Lockheed flew and landed on Corsair's shoulder and let out a sound.

Sikorsky's voice crackled over the small intercom. "Corsair, I have been analyzing Lockheed's manner of growls, puffs, and sounds. It is as I anticipated. Lockheed is an animal capable of speech. The sounds he makes are actually communication. According to what I have analyzed, he seems to think there's life forms ahead."

"What kind?" Corsair asked.

"That," Sikorsky replied back, "I do not know. I could of course, not be understanding Lockheed correctly. You must understand that communication is very limited."

"Yes, yes," Corsair nodded. He turned towards Ch'od again, "Anything?"

"Still only us," Ch'od replied, looking at the device in his hands.

Corsair heaved a deep sigh and drew his guns. "Okay, everyone – get ready for anything. Try not to shoot at anything that moves just because you're jumpy. There could be survivors of whatever happened here. The last thing we need to do is kill more Shi'ar."

The smell of death was strong, but more so, it was entirely too silent.

"Not even wild life," Raza commented. "Whatever did this, did its job completely."

Keeyah's voice crackled over the speaker, "Corsair, I am picking up some unusual energy signals."

"What kind Keeyah?" Corsair asked.

"Analyzing now," Keeyah replied back, "but this may take a bit."

"Let me know when you have something."

Hepzibah was perched on the branch, looking around. "See nothing I do not, smell dead I do."

"So do I," Carol sighed.

Adam-X approached, bringing up the rear. "Something seriously bad went down here," he commented. "Something big and bad enough to wipe out an entire Shi'ar throne world."

"Do you suppose it has to do with Lilandra's abduction?"

"Undoubtedly," Hepzibah replied. "Question now only why."

Carol hailed Corsair on the communicator, "Nothing on this side, Corsair."

"Carol," Corsair's voice returned, "my name is Christopher Summers. Not Corsair. Remember, I am doing away with the whole Corsair thing."

"Right," Carol nodded. "Nothing here, Corsair."

On the other side, Carol heard Corsair sigh.

"Pretty much the same thing on this side," Corsair's voice finally came back. "Sikorsky thinks he's translated some of Lockheed's speech, and claims that Lockheed is detecting some kind of life form, though at this time we don't know what kind."

They stood back upon the HMSS Starjammer, sharing only their thoughts and silence over the scene that had found there on the Shi'ar Throne World.

"Who could have done such a thing?" Corsair asked.

"I am not sure," Keeyah suddenly spoke up, "but I am betting they might have some answers."

"What is it?"

"Royal Class Shi'ar Dreadnaught taking off from the throne world," Keeyah pointed to the dot on the screen, indicating a rapidly moving blinking circle.

"Have you tried to hail them?" Corsair asked.

"Yes," Keeyah replied. "And that's why they're doing that."

"What's that?"

Corsair watched as the blimp on the screen turned and began heading towards them.

"So they're coming back?"

"At the speed they're coming at us Corsair, I don't think their intentions are friendly."

"Why isn't anything ever easy?" Corsair sighed. "And my name is Christopher Summers, not Corsair."

"Of course, Corsair," Keeyah replied with a smile.

"All right everyone, man your stations, things about to get really rocky."

Corsair adjusted himself. "All right. Keeyah, hold position."

"You don't mean to do what I think do you?" Ch'od asked.

"What's that?" Corsair smiled.

"Take on a Royal Class Dreadnaught," Ch'od replied.

"Come on now," Corsair smiled. "Do you really want to live forever?"

"No," Ch'od replied, "but sometime beyond today would be nice."

"Trust me," Corsair whispered.

"I was afraid of that," Ch'od chuckled.

The Royal Class Dreadnaught came into view, flames burning at the engines as it powered towards the HMSS Starjammer at an incredible speed.

"Some course of action, rather than sitting here would be nice," Keeyah replied, staring at the oncoming ship.

"Just get ready," Corsair replied.

Just before impact, Corsair shouted, "Now!"

With a quick thrust, the HMSS Starjammer ducked below the Royal Class Dreadnaught's oncoming attack. The HMSS Starjammer rumbled like a shoebox full of rocks, tumbling down a hill.

Without even hesitating, Corsair shouted, "Get after that ship!"

"Not a problem," Keeyah smiled. "This thing could run circles around the Royal Class."

"What do you hope to do when we catch up to it," Raza asked.

"I haven't thought that far," Corsair smiled. Corsair stood. "Hepzibah, get on the guns."

"Is that wise," Ch'od asked.

"She's our best gunner," Corsair nodded. He turned, "But just in case, Zee, please try to shoot out the engines. No killing."

"No killing," she purred back. "Take fun from me you do."

"Just do me this small favor, Zee," Corsair sighed.

It took only seconds for the modified HMSS Starjammer to catch up to the Royal Class. With three perfect shots, all striking exactly perfect, the Royal Class Dreadnaught was stopped. Year and years of practice and planning revealed to the Starjammers the weak spot of every known ship in existence.

"Let's board them," Corsair smiled. "Everyone suit up."

As Adam-X put on his suit, he looked at Corsair. "Isn't this what pirates of Earth did?"

"Yes," Corsair smiled, as he put on his helm.

"And is this how you got the reputation of space pirates?"

"Yes."

"But stopping Royal Class ships?"

"Just ships in general."

"Wonderful," Adam-X smiled. "What have I gotten myself into?"

The bay door slid open, as Corsair entered. He looked both ways before signaling Hepzibah to enter next. A sniff of air indicated no one close by. Next in were Ch'od, Raza, Lockheed, Adam-X and Carol. Sikorsky's voice suddenly cackled. "Incoming life forms."

Hepzibah gave a nod, showing that she had sensed the same thing.

"Be ready for anything," Corsair sighed. "I am sure if news of us blowing up one of their ships isn't enough to have them want to kill us on sight, then us disabling their Royal Class ship in less than two minutes might be enough."

"Halt!" came a voice, "in the name of the Imperial Guard."

"The Guard?" Corsair coughed. He turned to see Gladiator standing there, flanked by Oracle, Starbolt, Fang, Astra, Earthquake, Hussar and Warstar.

"Corsair, that is the Imperial Guard," Raza stated.

"I see that," Corsair sighed.

"Were you ready for the Imperial Guard?"

Corsair looked over his shoulder. "No," he smiled. He turned and faced Gladiator again. "Look, it's not what you think."

"You attacked a Royal Class Dreadnaught," Gladiator's voice boomed, "how can it not be as it seems?"

Corsair pondered for a moment, "I suppose that does look bad, doesn't it?"

Corsair dodged Gladiator's swing, which sounded like a thunderstorm as it passed over his head. "Look," Corsair tried to say, between dodging blows, "we just needed some answers as to what happened down there."

Gladiator swung again. "I have never liked you Corsair. Now you have finally proven before my own eyes that you are nothing more than a space pirate!"

"Actually," Corsair tumbled out of the way of another swing, "I have dropped the whole Corsair thing and go by Christopher Summers. Trying to change my image and all of that," he explained.

"Your name does not prove who you are," Gladiator said, slamming his fist into the hull, as Corsair ducked. "Your actions scream what you are."

"Yeah," Corsair sighed, "and if you gave me half a second, I'd explain this."

"What is to explain," Gladiator growled, frustrated he had missed again. "You attacked our ship!"

"Your skull is as dense as your skin, isn't it?" Corsair sighed.

Adam-X crouched down after jumping out of the way. "Look, I don't want to do this. Especially not to you."

Oracle's eyes narrowed, "Spare me your chivalry. When I get my hands on you I will spare you no mercy."

She lunged again, which Adam-X easily tumbled out of the way from. Oracle was clearly frustrated, "Why can't I touch your mind?"

Adam-X smiled, "Probably because I lost it long ago. Look at who I am with."

"I appreciate that!" came Corsair's muffled shout, as he dodged Gladiator again.

"Anytime," Adam-X smiled. Adam-X tried to foot sweep her, but Oracle moved out of the way.

"I can't mindstun you, but I can touch your mind enough to know what your next action will be," Oracle smiled. "I can dodge every kick, every punch."

"I was hoping to avoid this," Adam-X sighed. "But really, this has already gone on too long."

He pulled out three razors from his suit. "You say you can dodge every punch and kick, but can you dodge this?"

He unleashed three razors. She dodged two of them, one nicked her.

"That's barely a scratch."

Adam-X looked at her, and saw it was little more than a paper cut. "I know, and I am sorry for this." He closed his eyes, and suddenly Oracle screamed and collapsed to the ground, stunned, as Adam-X ignited the electrolytes within her blood supply, rendering her unconscious.

Hepzibah dodged blast after blast. "Starbolt slow," she commented.

"I shall be more than enough to put an end to you and the threat you pose," Starbolt commented.

"Think that you do?" she asked, almost having fun, seeing the frustration behind his fiery eyes.

She easily tumbled out of the way of another blast. However, too late she saw, this time, she was not the target. "Carol!" she cried.

However, it was too late.

The blast struck Carol from the back, engulfing her in flame. "No!" Hepzibah snarled and lunged at Starbolt, ignoring his flaming body. "See, Corsair! Try I might, not kill Shi'ar, Shi'ar show evil!"

However, when the flames died down, Carol still stood there, shocked beyond belief, that she was not even burned. Not a single hair on her head.

"This keeps getting weirder and weirder," Corsair muttered. "Carol, are you all right?"

Carol looked at herself. "Yeah… I think. I didn't even feel it. I just felt the flame wash over me then it was gone."

Meanwhile, Hepzibah bounced off walls, and struck Starbolt repeatedly, with quick kicks and punches, landing so fast that not even her feline fur was burned by Starbolt's fiery outside. One strike landed at the base of Starbolt's throat and he fell to the ground gasping for air.

Lockheed fought Fang, flying circles around him, hitting him with his fiery breath.

"As a note," came Sikorsky's voice over Corsair's intercom. "Fang, of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard should be dead."

"Well," Corsair said, taking a second to look at Lockheed and Fang engaged in combat, then dodging Gladiator again, "he looks very healthy for someone who is dead."

"Corsair," Sikorsky's voice returned.

"I am kind of busy, and the name is Christopher Summers, why is that so hard for everyone to understand?"

"My apologies, Corsair," Sikorsky replied, "however, I am detecting a rather unusual heartbeat regulating from Fang."

"Well, I imagine living dead tend to do that," Corsair commented and dodged another swing from Gladiator. "And if you keep distracting me I am going to be among them! Gladiator isn't holding back, but he's swinging very slow."

"A sign of possible mental manipulation," Sikorsky's voice crackled.

"Wonderful," Corsair sighed. "You're full of cheery news aren't you? About the irregular heartbeat – can you find out anything more about it?"

"Running tests now," Sikorsky came back and said, "looking for a match for that kind of heartbeat."

Raza's blade passed through Astra.

"I beg thee to surrender," Raza sighed. "I do not wish to harm thee."

"Harm me?" Astra laughed. "You can't even touch me."

"Never the less, eventually, my blade will strike," Raza commented, swinging again. "You merely delay the unavoidable."

"Corsair," Sikorsky's voice finally returned.

"Yes, Sik?" Corsair sighed in frustration.

"I have discovered a match."

"Well, spit it out. Not sure how many more seconds I really have to live. I am getting a tad bit tired dodging Gladiator, thinking of how I am going to beat him!"

"Corsair, the heartbeat of Fang matches that of the Brood."

Corsair stopped suddenly, "The Brood?"

It was enough for Gladiator land a shot into Corsair's gut. He let out a loud cry and doubled over as the air escaped his lungs, lapping immediately into unconsciousness.

The ship's hull rumbled as metal moved like tides of water. Hepzibah leapt from metal wave to metal wave. "Join Corsair might ask you," Hepzibah commented as she closed in on Earthquake. "Speak of surfing he did."

"Shut up you stupid feline," Earthquake commented, seeing Hepzibah draw closer and closer, he incredible dexterity allowing her to leap from wave to wave with little effort.

Hepzibah landed in front of Earthquake who took a step back. "Worry not about me. Worry about her."

Earthquake turned around, and Carol landed a solid punch against his stone skin, with enough force to render him unconscious. Carol looked at her skin. Not even a scratch. What was going on with her?

"Bad kitty," came a voice, followed by a snap.

Hussar's electrical whip wrapped around Hepzibah's neck. A jolt of electricity coursed through the whip, striking Hepzibah, rendering her unconscious.

Hussar pulled the whip back to snare Carol, but suddenly found the whip snared.

She turned to see Raza throw Astra to the side.

"I will give thee the same option as I gave Astra. Surrender, I do not wish to fight thee, despite what you have done to Zee."

"You're holding a whip that I can charge with electricity and you want me to surrender?" Hussar laughed.

"I did ask that of thee."

"No!" she laughed, and let loose an electrical charge. It coursed through the whip, through Raza, and right back at Hussar, screeching through her body with ten fold the amount of energy. Hussar barely had time to scream, before she buckled over and fell to her knees.

Gladiator turned to see Warstar fall to the ground, with the rest of the Starjammers standing behind him. "I have defeated your leader. I offer you the chance to surrender."

"We out number you," Adam-X replied, "and you want us to surrender?"

"Your numbers mean nothing to my strength," Gladiator laughed.

"We shall see about that, I suppose," Adam-X smiled.

It was chaotic. Adam-X unleashed razors that seemed to bounce off Gladiator's skin, while Hepzibah's claws seemed to scrap the skin without breaking it, Raza's punches did little to ever bother Gladiator.

"This is pointless," Raza sighed.

"Do you surrender?" Gladiator laughed.

Adam-X looked at Gladiator. "You know, you've got a big mouth to match that big ego of yours."

Gladiator let loose a laugh, and at that second, Adam-X reached for his only hope, a desperate gamble. Throwing a single razor, it struck the inside, top, of Gladiator's mouth. Gladiator's eyes beamed with fury. "You dare?"

He took the blade out and threw it aside.

Adam-X looked and saw blood on the blade.

"I hope this works, or this bast'jak is going to fry us."

Using enough power to kill a full sized elephant, and ignited the electrolytes within Gladiator's body. Gladiator let out a scream, looked at them, then finally fell forward. Adam-X nodded, "That took everything I had."

Then Adam-X joined Gladiator in the state of unconsciousness.

Ch'od, Hepzibah, Raza and Carol all turned their attention on Fang and Lockheed. "I heard Corsair say something about the Brood,"Carol commented. "Fang was killed by one. Trust me, I remember what they did to me."

Fang looked up, seeing that they had managed to knock out Gladiator, he quickly fled down the hall.

"We should get after him," Carol growled.

"No," Raza said, "both Corsair and Adam are down. We should revive them. Let Fang escape."

"He could be getting others."

"And we will deal with that, should that be the case," Raza replied.

They slowly made their way through the hall, Corsair was holding his ribs. "Sik, I am gonna have you take a look at my ribs when we get back up there. I think our buddy Gladiator did a number on me."

"Of course," the small insectoid's voice returned. "I would like to also conduct further tests on Carol, as to why she was not burned by Starbolt's flame."

The Shi'ar guard crumpled to the ground.

"And you're sure about this?" Corsair looked around. "Lilandra is being held prisoner here?"

"I fear so," Sikorsky's voice came back.

"Any idea what cell?"

"Cell Twenty-One-Eight-Seven."

"You're kidding me right?" Corsair replied.

"I fear not, why do you ask."

"Just never mind."

Corsair stepped over the unconscious Shi'ar guard. "Please tell me we don't have to dress up as Shi'ar guards."

"No," Sikorsky's voice returned. "You are standing right by her cell."

Corsair turned and gave a thankful sigh. "All right, let's get her out of here, and let's get ourselves out of here."

The HMSS Starjammer streaked away, leaving the still crippled Royal Class Dreadnaught stranded in space. Sikorsky hovered over Lilandra, "She should regain consciousness within the hour."

"Good," Corsair winced. "We can ask her just what's going on."

STARJAMMERS

Issue #6: The Crystal

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

Sikorsky's voice whirred over the intercom on Corsair's wrist. "Corsair, Lilandra is awakening."

"Good," Corsair winced holding his ribs. "Tell her I will be there in a minute."

Corsair slid his legs over his bed. "And Sikorsky?"

"Yes sir?"

"It's Christopher Summers, not Corsair."

"Yes, Corsair."

Corsair shook his head. He felt the light touch of Hepzibah on his shoulder and heard her soft purr. "Are you certain you must go?"

Corsair paused, debating. "I have to. I need to find out what's going on." Corsair stood and slowly put his shirt back on, his eyes falling on Hepzibah's bare body as she lay on the bed, the covers barely covering up her delicate parts. She was very much like a cat, fickle. But when she wanted attention she really wanted attention.

As Corsair headed for the sickbay, he called out to the hundreds of speakers and microphones that filled the Starjammer's walls. "Keeyah, how's the ship?"

"She's doing good. We have Ch'od and Carol outside working on the damage she took. We should be ready to go shortly."

"Good, keep me updated," Corsair smiled.

"Will do Corsair."

"It's not…" Corsair paused. What was the point? The doors for the sickbay slid open as Corsair stood in front of it. Sikorsky fluttered by Corsair. "Any sign of Brood infection within her?"

"Negative, Corsair," Sikorsky replied. "Her heartbeat is regular."

"Good," Corsair heaved a heavy sigh of relief. He moved and sat next to Lilandra. "How do you feel?"

"Like a laser tore me apart," Lilandra moaned. "What happened?"

"We were hoping you could tell us."

"Where is the Imperial Guard?" Lilandra asked, sitting up.

"They appear to be under the influence of the Brood." Corsair replied. Corsair signaled Sikorsky to play the tape of the signal they had gotten several days ago. "Do you know anything about that?"

Lilandra suddenly remembered everything. "Admiral Jak'ox and Lady K'smet'vis. They planned an ambush."

"But why?" Corsair asked.

Lilandra sunk to her chair. "Not so long ago, I had sent the Imperial Guard on a mission to locate the source of a powerful energy signal that we had picked up."

Corsair leaned forward. "What did they find?"

"At first we were not certain," Lilandra admitted. "It appeared to be a glowing piece of glass."

"Oh no," Corsair shook his head.

"Yes," Lilandra sighed, knowing what Corsair was thinking. "It turned out to be a fraction of the M'Kraan Crystal."

Corsair shook his head, realizing what he had gotten them all into. "Once we learned what it was, we were able to forge a weapon out of the Crystal's power that would be strong enough to slay Galactus the Planet Eater. We would stop Galactus as we had stopped the Dark Phoenix."

Lilandra paused. "I called together a conference of peace, calling leaders of various planets to meet and decide on this matter of putting an end to Galactus once and for all. However, not every species of a planet got along with the other, so I asked no weapons to be brought to the conference. Admiral Jak'ox, who had been a loyal admiral to me, made plans with Lady K'smet'vis to attack the meeting since we would all be unarmed. But the two of them knew that they would need more power, for the Imperial Guard would be there as well to ensure that nothing happened. Apparently the admiral and the lady

made a pact with the Brood."

"And now they've got the weapon?" Corsair asked, sinking into his chair.

"Yes," Lilandra cried. "And they've already used it once to test it's raw power."

"The Shi'ar Throne World?" Corsair asked, grimacing at the memory of what was found there.

"Yes."

Just outside the infirmary, Raza looked at Adam-X. "It appears as if thy genetic testing is going to be further delayed."

Adam-X shrugged and turned to Raza, "It's strange. Right now it doesn't seem to matter to me… finding out who I am or where I came from. For the first time in a very long time, it actually feels like I am with family."

Raza placed his hand on Adam-X's shoulder. "Well, my friend. I for one am glad to have you among us. I have seen thy use of battle skills, and I admire them as I admire you."

Raza looked once more towards the infirmary, "If what Lilandra says is true, then what lies ahead of us is great peril my friend. Not only that someone with ill intent seeks to use the M'Kraan Crystal, but that it is Lady K'smet'vis."

Outside the ship, Ch'od held down the last piece as Carol began to wield it back into place. Carol paused a moment as a flash of heat washed over her body. Noticing her pause, Ch'od looked at her, "Are you all right, Carol?"

"Yeah Ch'od, just those weird hot flashes," Carol replied.

"Perhaps Sikorsky should take another look at you?"

"He's run a complete test," Carol replied. "Thanks to my own complicated DNA, he can't really have anything to compare it with to see if anything's really wrong with me. As far as he can tell, I appear fine. Probably just a bit of space sickness. It's been a very long time since I have been out here."

"Yes, that may be it," Ch'od said, not believing his own words.

However, before Ch'od could react, Carol suddenly let go and began drifting into space!

Ch'od screamed, "Carol! Grab my hand!"

But there was no response.

Ch'od switched microphones, "Corsair! We have a situation! Carol released her hold on the hull and now is drifting into space!"

Hepzibah was already on the hull deck, racing as fast as her magnetic space boots would allow her to move. Ch'od saw her racing towards him. "Hepzibah, what are you doing?"

"When I get to you, throw me you must at Carol!"

"What?"

"Ask not what I do, just do it."

"I am not sure I like this idea, Hepzibah."

"No time for your green skull to think," Hepzibah commented. "Just do!"

As Hepzibah reached Ch'od, he took her into his massive arms and threw her with his unbelievable strength. Curving around Carol's body, Hepzibah kicked off of Carol and shouted, "Now you catch her!"

Carol slowly drifted into Ch'od's arms.

"Now what about you?" Ch'od asked, seeing Hepzibah float away.

"Think that far, I did not," Hepzibah admitted. "Was on way to see how work was done, since Corsair no want to play anymore."

From inside the infirmary, Corsair shouted, "Keeyah, can you get a fix on her with the tractor beam?"

"I am trying Corsair, but it's like trying to pick up one grain of sand on one of Earth's beaches! She's a very small target!"

Just then, something grabbed a hold of Hepzibah's suit. Her feline eyes turned to see Lockheed tugging on her armor and pulling her towards the ship.

Corsair stared, amazed. "The little dragon has her… it's body can survive in space without protection?"

Corsair realized there was much they did not know about Lockheed. Corsair made a mental note to contact Charles Xavier regarding that, whenever there was time. Of course, that was filed away behind stopping a madman and a madwoman from using the M'Kraan Crystal.

When Hepzibah's magnetic boots landed safely on the hull, Lilandra looked up at Corsair, "Is it always this exciting around here?"

Corsair looked at Lilandra with a charming smile. "What?

That? That was nothing. You haven't even begun to see the excitement the Starjammers get into."

Corsair peeked over Sikorsky. "How is she?"

"Her DNA is a complex one," Sikorsky admitted. "It is hard to tell for I have no base pattern to use as an example and compare. As far as I can tell she is fine."

"How can she be fine if she keeps getting these hot flashes of hers?"

"She gave me the excuse of possible space sickness. In all likelihood that may be the case. She has not been in space in a very long time, Corsair."

"She gave you that excuse," Corsair commented, growling under his breath, "And I am afraid that's all it may be. An excuse."

Keeyah's voice came over the intercom. "Corsair, we're getting hailed."

"From who?"

"Tracking shows… Corsair, tracking shows it's the Shi'ar Throne World."

"But that's impossible. We saw it in ruins."

"Corsair, you may wish to come up here."

Corsair placed his hand on Carol's shoulder. "Do me a favor. Just stay here and rest Carol." With that, Corsair nodded his head and he and Hepzibah returned upstairs to the main chamber.

On the main screen, Admiral Jak'ox and Lady K'smet'vis stood with the Imperial Guard behind them.

"Good day, Corsair. I see you have Lilandra."

"Yes, and she's safe with us," Corsair growled.

"Well as rulers of the Shi'ar Empire," Admiral Jak'ox began.

"Rulers?" Corsair laughed. "Lilandra is still very much alive, still making her the ruler. Well, aside from the fact that you two destroyed the Throne World."

"Destroyed?" Admiral Jak'ox seemed to smile. "I am sure that if you ran a trace that you will see the signal is coming from there. Our city is fine. As it is, Lilandra left the throne, making her a deserter. She is now wanted by the Shi'ar Empire, Corsair. I suggest you hand her over, and I promise to reward you and your crew handsomely."

"I wouldn't count on it," Corsair growled.

With that, he turned off the signal.

He turned and looked at Lilandra. "Trust me we were on the Shi'ar world, it was in pieces. I don't know how he's sending a signal from there."

"The M'Kraan Crystal," Lilandra sighed. "It has the power to twist reality. He could have used its power to reconstruct the world."

"Then why doesn't he just whiz you away from us if he wants you?" Adam-X asked, standing.

"Perhaps because it is a fragment, it may be limited."

"Limited? Like perhaps he has to be within view of it? Know it's location sort of thing?" Adam-X shrugged. "Doesn't sound like that powerful of a crystal to me."

Lilandra looked at Adam-X again. "Do I know you?"

"I don't believe so," Adam-X smiled.

"You look Shi'ar, with the pointed ears and eyes."

"I may be Shi'ar," Adam-X confessed. "I don't know."

"You look very familiar. Those eyes."

Corsair waved his and around, "Enough of that. What do we do now?"

"We stop them," Lilandra sighed. "One way or the other we have to stop them."

"That would entail returning to the Shi'ar Throne World,"

Corsair commented. "And if Admiral and Lady have declared themselves King and Queen of the Shi'ar, that means the Imperial Guard will follow them, even if they know it's wrong."

"So we're facing an entire Shi'ar world and the Imperial Guard and the M'Kraan Crystal?" Adam-X smiled.

"Yes," Corsair smiled and turned to Lilandra. "Now that is what I call exciting."

STARJAMMERS

Issue #7: Back To The Present, Past, Future

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hephzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

The Starjammer screamed through space.

Keeyah, at the controls, smiled. "There's nothing like letting her fly at full throttle."

"She's a nice piece of work," Corsair commented, patting on the hull of the ship. "She's done us a lot of good. I am glad you're with us Keeyah."

"Glad to be here, Corsair," the Kree smiled.

"You can call me Christopher," Corsair smiled.

"Yes, I could, couldn't I," Keeyah smiled.

The scanner passed over Adam-X's body.

"Indeed, something interesting," Sikorsy whizzed and hummed.

He hovered towards the control panel. "Corsair, can you send Lilandra down here?"

Moments later, the door slid open and Lilandra stood there. "How can I help you Sikorsy?"

"Actually, it's how you may help Adam-X," the little droid hummed. "Would you mind laying down so the scanner can pass over, and copy your genetic make up?"

"I wouldn't mind at all," Lilandra said, climbing on the table. "Is it because you suspect he's Shi'ar also?"

"He is Shi'ar also," Sikorsy, answered, "there's no question about that. But there is something else I noticed."

Lilandra laid flat on her back as the scanner passed over her. It whirled, hummed, and began transferring data to Sikorsy. "It's as I thought," the droid hummed. "This is most interesting indeed. I am not sure how it's possible. He appears to be part Shi'ar and part something else."

"Human," Adam commented. "That'd be why I probably felt the longing to go to Earth, to find out about myself."

"Let me get Corsair," Sikorsy commented. "He's the only pure bred human on board, since Carol's genetics have been tampered with."

"Are you worried," he asked, from somewhere behind her.

Hephzibah turned around. "Raza."

Raza stepped out of the shadows. "I do not mean to disturb thy thoughts," he commented. "I merely thought I would make myself available if you sought to speak with anyone."

"Fear I do not," Hephzibah commented, "of dying. Fear more I do, losing Corsair."

"I do not think that Corsair would foolishly release your devotion," Raza commented.

"Much do we disagree on of late," Hephzibah sighed.

"Tis normal," Raza smiled. "The stress of all that has happened of late, undoubtedly weighs heavy on his shoulder."

"What stress?" Hephzibah looked up. "Corsair's heart is without worry."

"He would like us to believe so," Raza smiled. "But I think the two of you have a similar worry."

"Which is?"

"Losing one another."

"You're growing stronger," Ch'od noted looking at the read outs, as Carol, inside of a glass room pushed her body to its physical limit. "It seems also you're becoming much more tolerable to heat. Those blasts are coming less than inches away, and your skin and body are showing no signs of irritation."

Carol smiled, "Well, it beats just sitting around waiting till we get to the Shi'ar Throne World."

Cr+eee made a squeaking sound, to which Ch'od nodded his head, "Yes, little friend. I am worried as well."

"We probably should be," Carol sighed, stepping out of the training room, hardly a bead of sweat on her body. "We're going to be facing the Imperial Guard again. We beat them once, but that was with more luck than we deserved."

Corsair stepped into the medical room. "What can I do?"

"Lay down," Sikorsy commented, as he glided to the table. "We need to scan your genetics. Adam seems to be part Shi'ar and we suspect he's part human as well."

Corsair shrugged and laid down. The machine slowly moved over his body, sending powerful X-Rays through his body, recording his bone structure, muscle tissue, and the very core of his genetic make up. Corsair stood when the process was done.

Sikorsy softly beeped, "Give me a few hours to diagnose the two genetic patterns and see if I can come up with something."

"Thanks Sik," Adam smiled and walked out of the room.

"He's a handsome one isn't he," Corsair commented after the door shut.

"Yes," Lilandra admitted. "But there is something about him that's very familiar. When I first saw his eyes, I can't explain it. I was frightened."

"Frightened?" Corsair asked. "Why?"

"I don't know," Lilandra shrugged. "It was that feeling you get when you think someone's following you, and you turn around and see nothing." She paused. "The feeling came over me, then quickly passed."

Corsair returned to the control deck. "How's she holding up Keeyah?"

"Just fine, Corsair," Keeyah smiled. "But I am curious. If it's as we suspect, that the M'Kraan Crystal weapon they now have is indeed limited to visual sight," he shrugged. "How do you plan that we fight them? What would stop them from blasting us right out of the atmosphere when we come into the Shi'ar Throne World?"

"Our cloaking device is superior to theirs," Corsair smiled. "We can stay hidden."

"What about when we go down to the Shi'ar World? Surly we won't be able to fight them from up here."

"I don't doubt that Admiral Jak'ox and Lady K'smet'vis would sacrifice the lives of a few Shi'ar to end ours," Corsair nodded. "So if they get us on visualization while we're down there, then we're as good as dead."

"But you shouldn't have to worry about that," Lilandra smiled as she entered the control room.

"Why's that?" Keeyah asked, turning his head slightly to welcome Lilandra.

"Because I know exactly where the security parameters are located," she smiled. "If we go through, I know the blind spots, we can knock out all the security surveillance that is located there."

The Starjammer came into the view of the Shi'ar Throne World. "Throw on the cloaking device, Keeyah," Corsair smiled. "Everyone else ready?"

"Ready and willing," Adam smiled, thumbing over one of his razors. "I wouldn't mind a rematch with Gladiator."

"He's all yours," Ch'od smiled.

"Keeyah, I want you to remain behind. We will need you to beam us back up if anything goes wrong and be ready to slam on the warp to get out of the Shi'ar view if they happen to find us."

"Will do, Corsair."

"Then lets do this."

The energizer kicked in and Corsair and the others transported down to the Shi'ar Throne World.

Down in the medical lab, Sikorsy hailed Keeyah on the intercom. "Have they already departed?"

"Yes, only seconds ago," Keeyah's voice came over the intercom. "Anything I can help with?"

"No," the droid replied, sounding stunned. He turned off the communicator. "Amazing. Not only does it seem that Adam has the genetic pattern of Lilandra, indicating he's part Shi'ar, but he also has the genetic pattern found in Corsair, making him part human. However, there are identical genetic structures found in both of them that are found in Adam as well!"

Corsair rubbed his gloves, and drew his guns from them. "Amazing," he commented, looking around. "They did it. They really rebuilt the entire Throne World with that Crystal weapon… Lilandra, you don't understand the devastation."

Just then there came a sound just around the corner.

"Imperial Guard," Lilandra hissed, and stepped into the shadow. "A patrol of them."

"Which ones?"

"From the voices," Lilandra listened closely, "I hear Mentor, Hobgoblin, Impulse, Midget, and Electron."

"Let's take them down then," Corsair nodded to the others to be sure they were ready. "Raza, Ch'od, Adam, Hep and myself will take on the Imperial Guard, Lil, you blast whatever security surveillance there might be in this area."

Adam smiled, "Good, a fight."

Rolling out in the hall, Adam flashes his razors. "Evening ladies and gentlemen. Its time for you to take a nap!"

Adam let loose four razors. Each one struck its target. He paused, "Wait, Lilandra, you named five? I only see four."

"Down here."

Adam looked down, just in time to see Midget grow to her full size, striking Adam with incredible force.

A series of blasts ripped through the ground, which Hephzibah dodged easily. "Manners you do not have," she smiled playfully as she landed, she rolled out of the way as Impulse flew by.

Corsair shouted, "Over here!"

Hephzibah flipped over a number of obstacles and landed next to Corsair. At the last moment she dodge another one of Impulse's blasts, which struck Corsair directly in the chest. Hephzibah looked down at Corsair, as he shaped back into Hobgoblin. "Look you do like Corsair, smell you do not like Corsair!"

Raza jumped down from the high spot he had climbed to when the attack began and jumped down in front of Mentor. "Your blindness puts us at odds," Raza gripped his sword.

"Shi'ar, part metal, metal weapons," Mentor smiled. "Weakness, magnetism. Electron to my side!"

Before Raza could react, he found himself suddenly thrown against a wall, as Electron glided down into view. Corsair set his gun and smiled, "Electron!"

The Shi'ar turned just in time to be the painful recipient of a stun laser to the forehead. Corsair blew at the barrel of his gun and chuckled.

Raza fell to the ground, looked up at Mentor who suddenly smiled, calculating Raza's weakness, when suddenly he let out a scream and fell over.

Behind him, Adam stood, with Midget already slung over his shoulder. "Blood cells on fire," he chuckled. "Teach that Bast'jak to turn his back on me."

Hephzibah continued to dodge the blasts from Impulse; she rounded a corner, where Impulse smiled beneath his mask, knowing he had her cornered now.

As he rounded the corner himself, he collided unexpectedly into a large green wall.

"What?"

Ch'od smiled down. "Morning."

The last thing Impulse saw was Ch'od's reptile fist coming at his face, then blackness. Somewhere as he drifted into unconsciousness, he thought he heard Hephzibah laughing…

STARJAMMERS

Issue #8: Imperial Entanglements

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

Raza dumped Mentor's body on top of Midget. "That is the last of our opposition," Raza commented. "We should be able to move onward with very little trouble."

"So you would have believed," a voice growled from the shadows.

"Who now?" Corsair sighed, spinning around.

A figure stepped out of the shadows. His skin was dark as night, while his hair was as white as the distant moons. "My name is Khaos." (1) He looked around, "And I am here to stop you."

"I don't know who you are," Corsair gripped his guns, "but if you're working for the Brood, then consider yourself downed."

"He does not appear to be a member of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard," Lilandra commented. "He wears none of the Shi'ar Insignia."

"I know not of the Shi'ar or the Brood in which you speak,"

Khaos leapt into the air, "I only know that you seek to sneak into my kingdom!"

"Your kingdom?" Corsair rolled out of the way of a series of blasts that seemed to come from a strange totem that Khaos carried. "What do you mean your kingdom? This is the Shi'ar homeworld."

"Your lies with not confuse me agents of Ghath," Khaos swooped down, forcing Raza to duck. Ch'od however grabbed Khaos' metallic, retractable wing and forced him to crash into the wall.

Quickly back on his feet, he drew two swords.

Raza drew both his swords. "My specialty."

The two charged one another, their blades greeting one another with sparks. The two locked eyes for a moment, then pushed off.

Raza was the first to swing, bringing his sword low, which Khaos leapt over, bring his own blade down. Raza blocked it with his other blade, then using the world's lighter gravity, pushed up with his hands, and landed both of his steel feet into the bottom of Khaos chin. Khaos spun around and landed on the ground. Raza jumped at him, believing him prone, however, Khaos proved to be much more endurable than Raza anticipated, as he rolled out of the way after kicking Raza in the gut in mid air.

The two clashed blades once again – blades striking one another, sparks flying.

"Should we stop them?" Ch'od asked.

"No," Corsair smiled. "I do believe that Raza may be smiling for the first time in a very long time. He's hardly even tired. He's toying with Khaos."

Raza landed next to Corsair, looked at him, then charged back into battle.

"Well, I think he is anyway," Corsair shrugged.

"Irth will not fall to Ghath's agents," Khaos boomed, as he and Raza collided once more.

"Irth?" Corsair shook his head. "Anyone getting any of this?"

"Yes," Lilandra nodded. "I believe I finally am." She tapped her wrist piece, "Keeyah – do me a quick favor. Look up Irth for me."

"Will do," Keeyah's voice crackled.

A few moments later, while Raza and Khaos fought, Keeyah's voice returned over Lilandra's intercom, "Irth – A world riddled with monsters, elf like creatures, dwarf like creatures, and creatures of goblin kind. Located in the Arileian Sector, this planet is not governed by any known Empire; rather it is ruled by what is known as Teknowizards who `channel' the power of their gods. Plagued by war between Surface and Under dwellers, the land finally found peace when a dark elf raised by fair elves, unified their kingdoms to fight an extremist known as Ghath. Their ruler, Khaos, vanished when teleporting a Earth bound group known as Excalibur back to their home planet of Earth, and has not been seen since." (2)

"Sector Arileian," Corsair whistled. "That would even take the Starjammer a considerable amount of time to get to from here. So how did he get here and why does he think this is his homeworld?"

"Undoubtedly manipulated by the Brood," Carol sighed.

"I know one way to break someone's mental hold," Adam-X smiled, holding up one of his tiny razors.

"Not yet," Corsair smiled, watching the two who seemed evenly matched fight with their swords.

"Starjammers!" hissed a voice from behind.

Corsair turned, "Brood Hunters, lots of them." He looked at Adam-X and smiled, "On second thought, snap him out of it. We might be needing his help really fast like."

Adam-X smiled, "My pleasure."

Khaos fell down screaming, only to stand moments later holding his head. "What happened?"

"I happened," Adam-X smiled. "But I did it because of them."

He pointed at the Brood Hunters barreling down on them. "Are those your people?"

"No," Khaos shook his head. "What's going on?"

"They manipulated you," Corsair explained. "Brainwashed you."

"Then," he picked up his two swords, "they shall pay dearly!"

Corsair smiled, "That's what I was hoping hear!" And with that, they charged forward, each of them with their weapons drawn.

Adam leaped over a Brood, throwing his razor and striking three behind it. Landing, he drew his axe, and gutted open two that flew over him. Raza and Khaos stood side by side, appearing to be one unit – a blending machine slicing any Brood Hunter that flew too close to their vicious blades.

Hepzibah ducked, side stepped and rolled over Brood Hunters, clawing out their eyes and sending them screaming into the walls, while blasting them from behind as they flew blindly.

Ch'od merely grabbed them out of the air and snapped their necks when they flew too close to him. Beside him, Lockheed burned Brood to their very bones with his powerful breath.

Corsair and Carol blasted them with their laser guns, laughing as they stood there, back to back.

It didn't take long for the Starjammers to be through with the first onslaught that came in. They stood in the middle of a pile of dead, burned, screaming and dying Brood Hunters.

"So," Khaos kneeled down. "These foul creatures dared to tamper with my mind."

He put his sword through a dying Brood's head, ending its life.

He looked up, "Are there more of them?"

"Plenty," Corsair nodded.

"Just what I wanted to hear," Khaos smiled, looking up at Corsair, mocking his earlier words.

They turned the corner, and peered into the room. "The throne room is empty," Corsair whispered.

"Empty? But this is where I was sure they would be."

"Corsair," keeyah's voice chimed in, "life forms behind you."

There was a pause. "Above you now. No, wait – in front of you."

"Impossible," Corsair whispered, "I don't see anyone."

Just then, the ceiling caved in.

When the dust cleared, Corsair stared at the figures. "The Imperial Guard," he sighed. "You know," he looked at the others, "sometimes it's a drag being the good guys." He cracked his neck, "Because the bad guys keep turning up at the worse times."

Corsair glazed over the Imperial Guard members. Gladiator. Starbolt. Smasher. Nuetron. Hussar. Earthquake. From behind them, two other figures emerged. Lady K'smet'vis and Admiral Jak'ox.

"We've come to watch you die, Corsair," Admiral Jak'ox smiled.

"And perhaps spare some of you honorable death," Lady K'smet'vis smiled at Raza.

"Why do they oppose us?" Khaos asked, looking at Lilandra and seeing the similarity.

"Because," Corsair shrugged, "they're blinded by greed."

"We hold in our hands," Admiral Jak'ox smiled, "a means to end it all – or to create it anew."

"Imperial Guard," Lilandra cried out, "can't you see who they are working for? The others around you – they are not Shi'ar – they are Brood. The Brood Queen is creating a powerful illusion."

"Your lies will not deceive us," Gladiator growled. Two blasts shot from Gladiator's eyes, which were deflected by Khaos' magical shield. The blast took out Smasher, sending him flying against the wall.

"Here we go again," Corsair sighed, dodging out of the way of Starbolt's flames. "You figure we could pick up some new villains along the way? The Avengers – they always seem to fight someone new. So do the X-Men. Why do we get stuck with the same people?" Another blast Corsair dodged, jumping behind a wall. "I swear, if I were to write this into a book, it'd bore people because it's the same thing every time."

Corsair turned, fired two shots.

Starbolt laughed, "You missed me by a considerable margin."

"Good thing I wasn't aiming for you," Corsair smiled. At that moment, the wall that Corsair fired at, crumbled, sending rubble large enough to strike Starbolt and render him unconscious.

Corsair fired two more shots, this time at Lady K'smet'vis and Admiral Jak'ox. The two took cover behind Gladiator, whose body sent the blasts reflecting from his nearly invulnerable flesh. Carol dodged Hussar's whip, which wrapped around Earthquake and electricuted him rather than Carol. Carol than tugged on the whip and forced Hussar's face to meet with Carol's heel, sending Hussar into unconsciousness.

Nuetron punched at Ch'od who caught his fist, smiled, then punched Nuetron in the face with his other fist.

"Impressive," Admiral Jak'ox smiled. "You took down most of the Imperial Guard yet again."

"Well your mind control on them has them moving sluggish," Corsair smiled.

"Now let us see if you can face Gladiator again," Lady K'smet'vis smiled.

Gladiator took to the air. "This time Starjammers, it ends with your death. What's this?"

Lockheed flew up to Gladiator's face and puffed smoke in his face.

"Insolent creature! You shall be the first to die in the name and glory of the Shi'ar Empire!"

However, as Gladiator drew his fist back, Lockheed let out a roar then a massive burst of flame. Lockheed's flame was strong enough, intense enough to sear Brood down to their very bones. That was not even Lockheed's maximum potential. It had been off the charts when the Starjammers tested it – and while Gladiator's flesh could survive space, his eyes however were not immune to the intensity of Lockheed's flame, as he spiraled downward, crashing hard, screaming and holding his hands over his eyes.

"The Admiral and the Lady have made their getaway," Corsair noted, looking around.

"But why didn't they finish us off with their weapon?" Ch'od asked.

"Perhaps there is more to it than what we first realized," Corsair smiled. "Maybe there's more limits to it than we realized."

Corsair turned to Khaos, "We know where your homeworld is. In the Starjammer it would take a very long time to get there – but we're willing to take you back. Would you care to join us in finishing this business first?"

Khaos nodded, "My sword is yours."

"What do we do with them?" Ch'od asked pointing at the members of the Imperial Guard.

Adam-X held up his blade, "We wake them up."

Corsair smiled, "The hard way."

Cloaked from view, the Starjammer hummed silently in space. "Keeyah," Sikorsky's voice came over the intercom. "I have discovered more about Adam-X. Not only does he share many of the same genetic codes as Lilandra and Corsair – but it would seem, from the database files I have here – that he is the genetic son of D'Ken and Katherine Summers."

1\. Khaos made his first appearance in Marvel's "Excalibur Annual #1."

2\. A minor tidbit from the pages of Marvel's "Excalibur Annual #1."

Starjammers #9: Revelations.

By: Tawmis

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

"So you mean to tell me that Adam is in part my son?" Corsair turned to Sikorsy.

"If he is indeed the genetic son of D'Ken," Lilandra sat down, stunned by the news she had just heard. "That would mean he would be the rightful heir to the Shi'ar Throne." She looked out the window and saw Adam testing his strength and agility against both Ch'od and Raza. She thought of the many years of unrest after D'Ken's demise, the political people she had dealt with, and the battle against her own demented sister, Deathbird.

Corsair sat down next to Lilandra, the shock settling within him as well. Hepzibah sat behind Corsair and gently massaged his shoulders, while purring close to him. "That means that…" Corsair shook his head. "That's why he looked familiar. He looks like Katherine. He has her blond hair, the way Alex did." (1)

"It is confirmed," Sikorsy replied. "Genetic make up found both in Lilandra, tracing back to D'Ken is found within Adam's genetic make up, as well as genetic make up DNA information provided by Corsair, shows it to be Katherine's DNA as well. Adam seems to have been `made' by D'Ken to be the perfect heir to the throne. Gifted with a perfect physique, with all his senses increased beyond measure, as well as what appears to be a side effect of mutant powers, allowing him to ignite exposed blood cells."

"He'd be the right age," Corsair noted, gesturing towards Adam. "He's a little younger than both Scott and Alex, which all seems to fall into place."

"But if that's the case," Lilandra turned to Corsair, "why did D'Ken never reveal him?"

"From information gathered," Sikorsy replied, "it would seem that Adam exhibited his mutant powers at a young age. His control over his powers, without ever being trained by anyone, indicates that he has used them for a long time. It is entirely likely that D'Ken may have been unable to control Adam. Or that Adam ran away from D'Ken and escaped. An interesting note, he does have the energy residue of what is known as `Mojoverse.' It appears he may have spent some time there. From the data I have received from Charles Xavier's mainframe, Mojoverse is the homeworld of Mojo, who in essence runs a dimension as if it were an endless television show. Mojo also has at his side, one six armed female by the name of Spiral who is capiable of magic, which may be why Adam has no memory of his past."

"This changes everything," Lilandra finally said after a long moment lost in thought. "We must bring him before the Shi'ar so they know their rightful ruler."

"Whoa," Corsair stood up and eased Lilandra. "Calm down, Lil. What if he doesn't want to lead the Shi'ar? He's young."

"Your world had younger kings," Lilandra pointed out.

"Well, that's true," Corsair shrugged, "but before we go marching off to try and convince the Shi'ar to stop listening to your crazy sister and follow Adam, let's first break the news to him… and then see if he even wants to lead the Shi'ar."

"Corsair, I would hate to interrupt, but it would seem that two ships have just been spotted on sonar," Sikorsy replied. "Keeyah has been trying to reach you, but your communication badge is in Hepzibah's room."

"Two ships?"

"One is Shi'ar Apocalypse Class Flagship," Sikorsy continued. "The other, Keeyah says is a Quinjet – apparently from Earth?"

"A Quinjet?" Corsair turned, "Sikorsy, tell Keeyah to put it on the holomonitor."

"Of course."

Within seconds, an image fizzled in front of Corsair, showing a Quinjet being captured by the Shi'ar Apocalypse Class Flagship. "That's the Avengers," Corsair pointed out, "or one of the many branches of them."

"What does Deathbird want with them?"

"I am not sure," Corsair pressed the intercom button. "Ch'od, Raza, Adam, get ready. Deathbird's in this sector and she just grabbed some Avengers. Something big is happening, and we're going to be a part of it."

"Keeyah, get ready to drop the cloaking device when we get within teleporting distance of the Shi'ar ship."

"Of course, Corsair," Keeyah's voice cackled over the main intercom.

The air shimmered in front of the demolished doorway, and slowly a number of figures appeared. Deathbird recognized the energy signature almost immediately and growled. "The Starjammers!"

Corsair rubbed the rubies in his red gloves and suddenly his pistols manifested. Quickly twirling them and taking aim at Deathbird, he shook his head, "Whatever you're planning Deathbird, stop it now."

A twisted smile danced on Deathbird's lips, "Ah, dear Corsair. You and your Starjammers are too late. I got what I came for. The Elders were so worried about my daughter that they never considered that I may be the one who will reshape the Shi'ar Destiny! I must leave you now, but let this serve as a warning as to what will happen to those who will get in my way!"

Deathbird pulled the trigger and the Reconfiguator shot a massive stream of M'Kraan energy striking the fallen West Coast Avengers members at the base of the stairs, incinerating them instantly. In wide eyed terror, the Starjammers watched as some of Earth's Mightiest Heroes… were suddenly no more!

"Murderer!" Corsair shouted and began opening fire.

In seconds, the chamber had turned into a place of almost seemed, that despite the odds the Starjammers would have the advantage until Deathbird called for the Imperial Guard. Within seconds the room was stormed by members of the Imperial Guard, including: Starbolt, Scintilla, Flashfire, Impulse, Oracle, Mentor, Gladiator, Neutron, Smasher, Titan, Electron, Astra, Nightside, Hobgoblin, Magique, Manta, Warstar, Earthquake, Hussar, N'rill'iree, Webwing, Blackthron, Zenith, Black Light, White Noise, Onslaught, Solar Wind, Moondancer, Voyager, Glom, Hardball, Fang IV, Commando, and Delphos!

Looking at them surrounded, Adam leaned back to back to Corsair, "This is your call."

Corsair looked at Adam-X, "Do you think we could win this?"

Adam-X chuckled, "We don't have a prayer, Corsair, but you have to admit this would be a lot of fun to try."

"Hold!" Lilandra voice cried out. "Would you dare attack your king?"

"What are you talking about?" Gladiator paused.

"Adam," Deathbird hissed.

"She knows!" Lilandra pointed at Deathbird. "She knows that Adam is the son of D'Ken!"

Both Gladiator and Adam paused, "What?"

"It's true," Corsair said, looking at Adam. "You are the genetic son of D'Ken and my wife, Katherine Summers."

Adam paused. He somehow knew it was true. He had felt the connection to Phillip Summers long ago. Everything seemed right. He was the son of D'Ken and Katherine Summers… and rightful heir to the throne.

"She lies!" Deathbird cried. She looked at the gun, waiting for it to recharge itself. "Away with her!"

"Gladiator," Lilandra pleaded, "you have known me all my life. You know I am many things… but a liar is not one of them."

Gladiator paused, "I must serve the Throne."

"The Throne has a false queen on it," Corsair growled. "You know that."

Gladiator paused. "Imperial Guard! Defend Lilandra and the Starjammers! Our duty is the King of the Shi'ar!"

"Our loyalty," Black Light shouted as he blasted at the Starjammers.

"Is to our mother!" White Noise finished, as she blasted at the Starjammers that scattered.

Scintilla shrunk down and struck Lockheed in the nose, obviously declaring her allegiance to Deathbird. Lockheed reared up and took to the air his beady eyes looking for Scintilla, knowing he would get his revenge.

Ch'od grabbed Flashfire, who in turn blinded him. "Hands off lizard,"

Flashfire laughed.

A huge arc released from Impulse's eyes striking down Ch'od. Starbolt took to the air, "Impulse, don't do this! We should be united in this."

Oracle ran to Ch'od's side, using her telepathy to allow him to see through her eyes. "Do not try to reason with them, Starbolt. They are driven by the greed that Deathbird promises!"

Mentor stood off to the side, "If Deathbird has the M'Kraan gun, the chances of the Starjammers gaining victory would be 11.23%, and that would be with the help of all the Imperial Guard. Without the Imperial Guard, their chance of victory drops to 7.7% if half the Imperial Guard aids them. Without the Imperial Guard at all, their chances drop to 4.19% - it would be most beneficial to side with Deathbird in this case."

Neutron struck Gladiator with incredible force, sending him crashing against the opposing wall. "Follow Lilandra then, Gladiator," he shouted, "and finally let me be rid of your righteous mouth! I am tired of being overshadowed by you and your claims of self-righteousness! Now let them see the true strength of Neutron!"

Smasher flew and struck Neutron, sending him flying as well. "You would dare strike Gladiator and go against Lilandra and the king, Neutron?"

Astra passed through Smasher, sending him spiraling to the ground. "He would," Astra laughed, "just as I would."

"Forgive me Astra for this attack," Titan said as he punched her in the back, knocking the wind from her, otherwise, you would have phased."

"You can't punch what you can't see, Titan," Nightside laughed as she plunged the surrounding area in darkness.

"A shame you wear a metal piece around your collar," Electron shouted in the darkness and released an electrical bolt upwards, which like lightning attracted itself to her metal necklace. Nightside screamed as the bolt coursed through her body and rendered her unconscious.

"Thank you," Titan said, standing."I am a specialist at illusions," Magique replied, "and you won't fool me Hobgoblin."

Manta released a blinding flash into Hobgoblin's eyes, as he screamed and reverted from Titan's form, to his own true form.

The ground suddenly responded in an unpredictable way as it lunged forward and backward, sending Manta falling to the engaged with Ch'od, two massive green forms locked in combat, one made of flesh, the other made of steel. Ch'od saw B'nee beginning to dislodge himself from C'cil, but could do nothing about it.

Suddenly, Cr+eee leapt from Ch'od's shoulders and attacked the wiring in B'nee's arm. "Good!" Ch'od smiled, "it is good to see you having fun Cr+eee!"

Hussar laughed, "Without you Corsair, the others will fall leaderless!"

"What are you doing?" Corsair turned to Hussar. "Don't do it! I'm-!"

But too late, Hussar's charge flew through the whip and into Corsair's body. Unfortunately, it was Earthquake who crumbled to the floor, his motor functions completely paralyzed.

"What?" Hussar looked down in surprise.

"An illusion," Magique replied with a smile.

Hussar snapped her whip at Magique but found it to be caught by Adam-X's arm. "I don't think so," he smiled at the red humanoid.

"If not now, then you first," Hussar laughed.

"We shall see about that," Adam-X's eyes focused on Hussar's small cut. "Let's see which of us burns."

With those words Hussar tilted her head up and let out a vicious scream as the bloodcells within her body ignited. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Thank you, my liege," Magique bowed.

"No need to thank me," Adam-X smiled. "Just help us win this thing."

N'rill'iree struck Adam-X, sending him flying across the room and slamming against the opposing wall. The large bat like humanoid that towered over eight feet tall now stood over Magique, when without warning N'rill'iree had his eyes claws by Hepzibah. "Move you should," the feline sighed, as she leapt out of N'rill'iree's blind punch, "before hurt you are."

Magique quickly moved to Adam's side. "My liege, are you all right."

"Just had the wind knocked out of me," Adam said, sitting up.

Magique was taken aback over how quickly he recovered from a blow that may have left even Gladiator unconscious. Adam looked at N'rill'iree as he fought blindly. "Hep scratched him? Good." With a snarling lip he smiled, "Burn!"

N'rill'iree screamed, but did not fall.

Adam blinked. "He's a tough one."

Fang IV pounced on Khaos, as the two tangled, Fang IV gained the advantage. As he stood over Khaos about to claw his throat out, he was suddenly tackled. "No!" Fang IV rolled with the tackle and looked up. "Deathcry. You side with the Starjammers? You go against your own mother's will? She would be ashamed of you."

"I am ashamed of my mother," Deathcry growled.

Not too far, as Raza fought with Blackthorn, Webwing snuck up behind him, encasing him within his mouth. Raza would not be held long as he drove his blade through Webwing's mouth, leaving the creature screaming in pain. Zenith snuck up behind Carol and touched her. "I shall absorb whatever powers are within you and -!" Suddenly Zenith let out a scream, violently shaking as if being electricuted. "So much… power… untapped… I… can't… bare… the… pain…" And suddenly Zenith collapsed to the ground. Carol looked at him, astonished. What power?

Onslaught (2) dodged Raza's blade, foot sweeping Raza off his own feet. Raza looked at Onslaught. "A skilled partial artist," he mused. "Good." Raza put his sword away. "I need a work out." He smiled. "I hope you can keep up." Raza then flipped onto his feet, grabbed Onslaught's head and brought it in towards his chest, while bringing his knee full force into the rib cage of Onslaught. Onslaught looked at Raza, astonished by his speed, then fell over, blacking out. Solar Wind blasted at the ground, scattering the Starjammers that were in tangles of fighting. Corsair, paused, ran around a I-beam, then came up behind Solar Wind who was soaring through the air. "Keeyah tells me that he gets his powers mechanically," he smiled, "then that means he can be damaged." He coughed, and then shouted, "Hey Solar!"

Solar Wind turned, to be struck by Corsair's dual wielding pistols. Each blast hit his shoulder piece, where the main mechanics were located. Solar Wind, without the benefit of his armor, came crashing down.

Delphos approached Corsair, "Our chances are slim. Fang IV, Commando, Hardball Glom and Moondancer with her partner Voyager, are still at large and fighting. Our best bet would be to escape while we can. The odds are against us."

Corsair looked at Deathbird who gave them one last look, then escaped through a door that sealed. However, Corsair caught sight of Admiral Jak'ox and Lady K'smet'vis, Deathbird's two highest officers. They had remained behind to ensure that the Imperial Guard that served Deathbird finished what they were told to do.

Corsair's eyes went to Raza, who also saw Lady K'smet'vis. Raza drew his sword, and as if running for his life, charged Lady K'smet'vis. Admiral Jak'ox stepped in front of her and drew his blade. "Somehow I knew you'd come up here, Raza," he smiled.

"Shut up," Raza whispered and brought his blade up and down again, so fast, it hardly seemed he moved. However, Admiral Jak'ox's head fell from the shoulders of his body, cut clean off.

"Lady K'smet'vis," Raza growled. "I have dreamed of this night. The night to face you again, and gain my revenge."

Lady K'smet'vis drew her blade. "Long ago, I refused to let you die an honorable death. Instead, I had your limbs replaced by bionics, so that you would serve me. I underestimated your will as you broke free."

"I will not be a slave to anyone," Raza lifted his blade, "or anything."

"I will not let you live this time," Lady K'smet'vis replied, "and I will not underestimate you."

Their blades met and a beautiful spark emerged as the two blades kissed in their first meeting. Their blades swung downward, with her free arm, Lady K'smet'vis drew a dagger from her boot, while Raza calculated each move, and drew his dagger, parrying it in the air. "You will not walk away from this," Raza growled. "They will carry your body away."

Lady K'smet'vis lunged forward with her blade, a mistake in Raza's eyes, as he batted at the side of the hilt, knocking the blade from her sweaty palms. "Thrust and disarm," Raza smiled as he placed the sword to her neck. He brought the blade back to do to her as he had done to Admiral Jak'ox…

But the blade never made contact. He suddenly found himself on the Starjammer. He turned to Corsair, "How dare you! She was mine, Corsair! She was mine!"

Corsair backed away from Raza, "I had no choice. Look, the Avengers have already died trying to stop Deathbird. You may have been doing well, the rest of us were being clobbered by the Imperial Guard that decided to follow Deathbird." He paused. "Earth may not even know what's coming. The Universe doesn't even know. I found out from Delphos that Deathbird has managed to get a number of fragments from the M'Kraan Crystal. She means to use it not just for the Shi'ar world, Raza, but the entire universe. She's going to shape it to her will."

Raza threw down his blade and stormed out of the room. Corsair glanced around the room. At least they finally gained some allies in this matter. There was himself, along with Raza, Ch'od, Cr+eee, Lockheed, X-Treme, Hepzibah, Carol, Khaos, Deathcry, Starbolt, Oracle, Gladiator, Smasher, Titan, Electron, Magique, Manta, and Delphos. Deathbird still had the advantage in numbers, even more Imperial Guardsmen than what the Starjammers had.

Corsair only knew one thing.

Raza would eventually get his revenge. He promised himself that. He knew deep inside what it was like to burn with vengeance, the way Corsair had burned for it to kill D'Ken at his own hands after witnessing the death of his wife. He turned to Adam-X who was being aided by Magique. But at least, even here in space, he told himself, he had something that would always remind him of Katherine. He had a son.

He stared out the port window and saw Deathbird's ship getting away. "Follow her," Corsair whispered. "And for the Avengers, we will end Deathbird's reign once and for all. The only way we can."

Corsair raised his fist, and in honor of the Avengers shouted, "Starjammers Assemble!"

1\. Corsair made note that he thought he recognized Adam in Starjammers #1.

2\. Not to be confused with the Onslaught of Professor Xavier/Magneto. This is the first Onslaught who serves with the Imperial Guard.

Starjammers #10: Brood World.

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, Deathcry – daughter of the malicious Deathbird, and Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

"They're dead," Deathcry whispered to herself.

"And so are we," Corsair pushed Deathcry out of the seat and slid behind the controls, "unless you wake up, girl."

Deathcry looked at Corsair, "You don't understand!"

"I very much understand," Corsair growled. "I saw my children thrown out of an airplane, their parachute on fire. Never knowing if they made it to the ground until a few years ago. I also saw my own wife, knifed right before my eyes, by your uncle. Don't tell me I don't understand."

Deathcry looked at Corsair, shocked.

"Make a hard right," Corsair shouted to Keeyah, who quickly gave the controls a hard tug. The Starjammer veered to the right, as two ships which appeared to be space sharks, flew by, screaming and firing lasers at the Starjammer.

Three more shark ships flew by, their lasers pinging off the Starjammer's hull, while shaking the ship violently. "Our shields are taking a beating, Corsair."

Corsair looked at the scanner, where the Starjammer was the center, and all around them were green dots, indicating enemy ships. "There's so many of them," Corsair grumbled, "it's like we're being attacked by a bunch of clones."

"Attack of the Clones!" Adam-X smiled in mock fear, next to him, firing the cannons as two shark ships flew by. He turned to Corsair, "I don't know. Not a very catchy title. Doesn't really sound scary enough. Sounds too much like a ridiculous movie title on Earth."

"There's a breech in Section 3A, Corsair," Keeyah shouted, "and it looks like we're being boarded."

"On it," crackled Starbolt's voice over the intercom. "Gladiator and I are in Section 5R, and we can get to 3A very quickly."

More laser fire pounded against the Starjammer. Keeyah shouted, "A few more hits and we're going down, Corsair."

Corsair looked at Keeyah, then to the others. "All right everyone. Forget everything. Brace yourselves for impact." He looked at Keeyah. "Keeyah, go full force into that planet's atmosphere."

"Corsair," Keeyah turned, "that world has been cultivated by the Brood."

"At least we know we can breathe there," Corsair growled. "If we blow in space, very few of us will survive."

"Understood," Keeyah spun around and faced the controls. He threw the thrust control forward, and the Starjammer screamed.

Meanwhile, aboard one of the Brood shark ships, "Hunt Master, this is Flight Master – the Starjammer has eluded us."

"The Mother will not be pleased with this news," a voice crackled back.

"The Starjammer, however," Flight Master quickly added, hearing Hunt Master's displeasure, "has landed on Brood world. We have delivered them to our Mother. We need only capture them now. Without their ship, they are nothing."

"Excellent," Hunt Master's voice replied, "return to Brood world and bring the squadron."

"Of course."

Oracle stepped out of the Starjammer holding her head, where she had received a small gash upon her head during the rough landing. She looked around, "My telepathy picks up various life forms, all of them with vicious intent."

Smasher landed next to Oracle, carrying an unconscious Hepzibah. "Shall I take to the skies?"

Titan lifted several branches and rubble that had settled on top of the Starjammer. "It might be best to wait for Lilandra's orders."

Electron carried out Lilandra, "I have her, though she is barely conscious."

Magique stepped out of the ship, helped out by Corsair and Adam-X. "I could place an illusion over the Starjammer to keep it hidden from the eyes of the Brood. They will undoubtedly be scurrying these lands looking for us soon enough."

Raza carried out Manta who was unconscious. He laid her down next to Hepzibah. "We should indeed cloak the ship." He looked around. "The Brood are vicious. Once they see us, they will swarm us as they did in space."

Delphos stepped out of the ship with Ch'od, Keeyah and Carol. She was hardly touched, but her face was pale. "My eyes…" she whispered. "I see something. The M'Kraan gun being fired… then a large explosion…" She collapsed to one knee. "And then blackness."

Cr+eee clung onto Lockheed's neck, followed by Sikorsy, Khaos, and Deathcry, who were the last to come out of the massive ship.

Sikorsy buzzed above the wounded and unconscious members. "Sikorsy tend to wounded."

"Good idea," Corsair nodded. "We also need to get the Starjammer back to operational status." Corsair turned to Titan and Gladiator, "If you could lift it, and get those trees to brace it under this portion here, we could begin working on it."

Neither Gladiator, nor Titan moved. They simply stared back at Corsair.

"What are you waiting for?" Corsair blinked.

"We await orders from the ruler," Gladiator kneeled before Adam-X.

Adam-X shook his head, "Listen to Corsair. He knows what needs to be done."

"As you wish!" Gladiator took the air and with Titan's help, lifted the neck of the Starjammer.

From inside, Starbolt shouted, "There's some internal damage also from the landing. There's a lot of work to be done."

Oracle looked at Corsair, "I sense Brood in that direction. And they're worker class. There seems to be plenty of minerals and metals that could be used in helping repair the Starjammer."

Corsair nodded his head. "Good. That's what I like to know."

He turned around, "Magique, if you could cloak the Starjammer with one of your illusions, this will prevent the Brood from getting a visual on us."

"It will be difficult to maintain for very long," Magique confessed, gazing at the massive ship, which stretched roughly twenty miles long.

"Understood," Corsair nodded. He looked at the others. "Delphos, you stay here with Oracle. What I am hoping is, if you have any visions, you can tell Oracle who can send some of us a message."

"What do you mean to do?" Gladiator asked, stepping forward.

"We need some resources," Corsair nodded to the Starjammer, "and Oracle says there seems to be some worker class Brood in that general direction. If we can get away with some of the resources, we can begin piecing back the Starjammer."

"You will need me then," Gladiator nodded, "to go with you."

Corsair smiled. "I was hoping you would say that. We're going to need your strength to carry whatever we can muster, if anything."

He turned towards the Starjammer, "Starbolt, I am going to need you to stay here too."

Starbolt flew out of the Starjammer. "But why? The Brood are susceptible to flame. I am your best bet if you get in trouble, Corsair."

"I am bringing Lockheed," Corsair nodded towards the small purple dragon. "He's encountered the Brood before, and they seem to have a distinct fear of him. I will need you, Starbolt to stay here and use your powers to wield together whatever pieces you can."

Corsair turned to Smasher, "I would like you to remain here also, just in case the Brood do attack here. If Gladiator's with me, we need a strong arm here."

"Understood, Corsair," Smasher nodded.

Corsair turned to Ch'od, "You're coming with me."

"I did not think Corsair would leave me behind," Ch'od smiled.

Corsair smiled at Ch'od then turned to Raza, "You're coming with me too."

Raza approached Corsair, still furious about being taken away seconds before his revenge could be completed. (1)

"Titan," Corsair turned the Shi'ar able to grow to enormous size. "You stay here also. You can help Smasher with the lifting of things." He turned to Electron, "You stay here also and help Starbolt. See if you can use your powers to give the Starjammer some juice." Corsair then turned to Manta, "I'd like you to come with us. With your ability to see perfectly with your infravision, it would be a great help in this dark planet."

Corsair spoke into his comminicator, "You get all of that, Keeyah?"

"Loud and clear, Corsair. We will try to have her up and running by the time you come back."

"Good," Corsair turned to Adam-X. "Would you like to come with us? I wouldn't want to jeapordize the life of royalty." A pirate smile crossed Corsair's lips.

"Me? Pass up a moment like this?" Adam-X clasped Corsair's hand. "Point at what you want taken care of, and it will be done."

Corsair smiled, "So Raza, Ch'od, Gladiator, Manta, Lockheed, Adam and myself will go and see if we can get anything to help with the repairs. The rest of you, do what you can to get the Starjammer in the best condition that you can."

"I am going with you," Deathcry stepped up.

Corsair looked at her, uncomfortable with having her with them. Something told him she was a spy. It was too coincidental that she should land with the Starjammers when everything happened. And being a daughter of Deathbird didn't sit well with Corsair either.

But then, if she was with them, it would be the easiest way to keep an eye on her.

Corsair nodded his head, "Okay, you can come with us."

Magique stared at the Starjammer, admiring its massive size.

She shook her head, "This will be difficult."

Oracle came to stand behind her, "I will use my telepathy to ease your strain, and share it between the two of us; using it to also amplify your own power, while I create a telepathic shield over our thoughts."

Meanwhile, Smasher held bent a large piece of the Starjammer, and straightened it with his fists. Starbolt flew by, with searing blasts and wielded the metal pieces together once again.

"Amazing," Carol said, holding her bruised arm, "how much better all of you work together as a team, when you're free from Deathbird's mind control."

"For that," Starbolt landed next to Carol, "we are all very sorry for attack you and your fellow Starjammers."

"I think all is forgiven," Carol smiled at the flaming Starbolt, who reminded her of herself, when she could turn into Binary, so long ago… those powers, long gone for unknown reasons. "What matters is that we all pulled together in the end, to make the right choice."

"We shall avenge your fallen comrades, The West Coast Avengers," Starbolt assured her, before taking off to wield another piece that Titan had lifted.

Carol watched him fly, and watched as the flame came from his hands. She could do it all, once.

She heaved a deep sigh, feeling next to useless, surrounded by so many super powered beings.

Manta led the way, her eyes scanning the darkness surrounding them. "This is indeed a dark planet," Manta noted, "it is even difficult for my own eyes."

"It's these woods," Gladiator growled as he tore down a series of vines that had tangled themselves into a web like structure. "From above, there is a sun with three moons." He paused, "I could easily tear my way through here with the laser from my eyes."

"No," Corsair shook his head in the dark. "That would attract entirely too much attention to us, Gladiator."

"This is nonsense Corsair," Gladiator disputed. "I only listen to you because Emperor Adam has requested it."

"Well technically," Corsair muttered, "according to Deathbird's revelation, Deathcry would be your Empress, as the daughter of Deathbird."

In the darkness Gladiator halted. "You're right…" His voice trailed off.

"Don't you worry, Gladiator," Deathcry's voice came from the darkness. "I want nothing to do with the throne. I defy Deathbird as my mother, and thus disregard any right I have to the Shi'ar throne.

My only interest is capturing my mother, and making her pay for the lives of the West Coast Avengers, which she took."

"She will pay," Corsair assured her from the darkness. "You don't need to worry about that, Deathcry."

1\. See Starjammers #9 for more details.

Starjammers #11: "First Strike."

Welcome to the issue that will change the Starjammers forever…

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, Deathcry, daughter of the malicious Deathbird and the former Empress of the Shi'ar Empire, Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

Manta led the way through the dense, thick jungle that seemed to be a canvas painted midnight black. "Even my own eyes," Manta admitted softly, "have difficulty seeing through this jungle."

Corsair nodded his head, "I am almost thankful that I can't hear those things slithering around in the darkness."

"Yes," Ch'od added, his reptilian voice shifting through the shadows, "I must concur you with you, Corsair. While I am wholly unfamiliar with this planet and the species that might dwell here; if they have somehow survived or endured the Brood infestation, they are probably not to be trifled with."

"So we should count our small blessings," Adam-X added, razors in hand, expecting trouble at any given moment.

A few moments later, Manta pointed ahead. "I can see light ahead. Seems we are about to reach an end to this darkness."

And just head, the jungle parted ways to what appeared to be a circular, mechanical city with Brood buzzing around it, like bees to a hive.

"This will not be easy, Corsair," Ch'od commented.

Lockheed puffed smoke between his lips, indicating he agreed with Ch'od's statement.

"Perhaps we should think of something else, Corsair?"

Corsair shook his head. "Nothing's easy when it comes to the Starjammers, Gladiator. Ch'od was just kindly reminding us."

"Indeed," Ch'od added with a knowing smile. He cocked his gun and looked at Gladiator, "If things were easy, Imperial Guardsman, we would all be fat and bored."

Raza glared at Corsair through the shadows, his anger for his companion burning in his veins, for teleporting him away before he could extract his revenge on Lady K'smet'vis. "So what is your plan, Corsair?" he asked, his voice flat.

"We obviously can't go above ground," Corsair nodded at the Brood that buzzed about the mechanical building, like drones of bees. "So we go under."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Gladiator asked, turning to Corsair.

"Even Brood have to have a waste pipe," Corsair gestured over his shoulder. "All we have to do is find it."

"How do you propose we do that, Corsair?" Deathcry asked, coming up to stand next to him.

"Easy," Corsair smiled, and winked at Deathcry. He closed his eyes. `Oracle, can you hear me?'

`Loud and clear, Corsair,' Oracles thoughts came directly into Corsair's mind.

`Good,' Corsair sent back through thought. `We need a way into that Brood city.'

`How can I help?' Oracle asked.

`I know you may not like it, but I need you to get inside one of their minds. Find out where there might be a waste pipe of some kind that we can go through.'

`Corsair, you don't know what you ask of me.'

`I am well aware of what I ask of you, Oracle. If there was another way, I would do it. But we can't just walk into that Brood City. We'd be dead before we got within one hundred feet of the place. And if we don't get back with materials soon, eventually the Brood will find all of us. And the fate that they'd have in store with us would be much less pleasing than what you're about to endure.'

`Understood, Corsair.'

At that moment, Oracle suddenly let out a scream, her hands going to her head, as if to hold it together. She thrashed around the ground madly, as if her body were attempting to crawl in different directions. "So evil," she muttered repeatedly, "so bent on destruction, consumption, hunger…"

The first one to her side was Smasher, who stopped everything he was doing to comfort her. "Oracle, we are right here."

"Corsair ask her look in Brood mind," Hepzibah replied, "she tell me before screaming. Let me know in case this she did."

Hepzibah leaped down from the tree. "Can't believe behind he left me."

Only a few moments later, Corsair opened his eyes.

"I found it," he smiled and looked at the others.

"How?" Gladiator asked, disbelieving. "You are a man without powers, Corsair."

"Sometimes," Corsair smiled, "it just takes a little faith. Now if you wouldn't mind doing your crazy eye beam thing, right about there."

Gladiator sent a scorning look at Corsair, before doing as requested. Radiant red beams burned from Gladiator's eyes and struck the ground, incinerating the ground, and much to Gladiator's surprise, revealing a steel pipe just below, which emitted a horrid smell from its depths.

"It is a wonderful smell you have found, Corsair," Ch'od smiled.

"I don't care what it smells like," Corsair smiled, "just get your green hide in there."

Gladiator was the first to enter the pipe, for he risked the least amount of risk to attaining any kind of injury, and also posed as the strongest of them all, in case any Brood happen to be waiting down below.

From below, Gladiator's voice came, "It is all clear, Corsair."

"All right everybody," Corsair smiled, "into the waste pipe."

"I can't believe I'm even doing this," Adam-X grumbled, beneath his breath as he slid into the hole, and down into the pipe.

The waste pipe seemed to stretch for miles on end, with both Mantra and Gladiator at the front. The water came up about two feet, and each of them thanked the darkness personally, so that they could not see whatever Brood waste looked like as it floated by them. From time to time, they had to stop when the smell got too bad and cover their mouths. Also, a few times, as they walked, dead Brood, torn and disfigured, bloated by the wastewater, floated by them. Drones, Corsair told himself, expendable. After a brief time, a light came into view just in the distance.

"Balls of light," Manta whispered, "appear to be lanterns, as fire seems to be the source of light, judging by the dancing shadows."

Corsair stared ahead, his human eyes couldn't even pick up the slightest indication of light, but then he knew Manta's eyes were far superior to his own. "Good," Corsair muttered, barely able to breath the horrid air. "That means we should be beneath the Brood City. Means things get more dangerous."

"When we get the materials we need for the Starjammer, Corsair," Gladiator turned to the space pirate, "how do you propose we leave?"

Corsair turned to Gladiator in the darkness, and attempted to smile, but the smell nearly choked him. "We're going to go out the front door."

"The front door?" Gladiator looked at Corsair. "You can't be serious."

Ch'od stood behind Corsair, in the shadows painted black as night, "He probably is. Either that or these fumes have gotten to him."

"I think a little of both," Adam-X chuckled behind him, before gagging as well.

`Corsair, Delphos has told me that she has foreseen something just ahead. But she said it is too dark to tell,' came Oracles voice into Corsair's mind.

`Sounds about right,' Corsair nodded to Oracle, as if she were standing next to him. `This place is as dark as it is smelly.'

Just ahead, a voice could barely be heard. "I can smell them. They're coming."

Manta turned to Gladiator, "That sounded like Fang."

"It would seem," Ch'od smiled, his razor sharp teeth glaring even in the thick darkness, "That the remaining Imperial Guard who follows Deathbird are here as well."

"Which means Deathbird is probably here herself," Corsair nodded. "Would certainly explain all the Brood ships that attacked us in space…"

Just behind Corsair, Lockheed emitted a low growl.

"Something approaches," Raza, commented, his cybernetic hearing, picking up the slightest splashing of water.

Almost at that moment, there was a blinding flash of light that encompassed the darkness and drove it away. The Starjammers tumbled back, attempting to cover their eyes all too late.

"Flashfire!" Gladiator boomed. "You would dare attack the Emperor of the Shi'ar kingdom?"

"He's a false king," Flashfire shouted back. "You should know that as well as I, Gladiator!"

By this time, Gladiator recovered from the blinding flash and flew forward, crashing into Flashfire and a number of other unseen members of the remaining Imperial Guard, bringing them all to the lit room.

Before them, Flashfire, Neutron, Astra, Nightside, and Warstar stood ready to face them.

"This does not have to end like this," Gladiator shouted. "The Imperial Guard has always been about following the orders of the ruling figure of the Shi'ar!" The other Starjammers entered the lit room, rubbing their eyes. Gladiator pointed to Adam-X, "And that rightful ruler is none other than the one called Adam-X."

"Gladiator," Neutron shouted back, "I am disappointed in you. You would dare call a hybrid like Adam the Emperor of the Shi'ar? And someone born of D'Ken genetics, nonetheless, mixed with a humans'.

"D'Ken," Neutron stressed again, "D'Ken the mad. The one who nearly brought the destruction of not just the Shi'ar Empire you cherish so much, but also nearly the end of the entire Universe and Existence itself! What makes you think this half breed will not do the same?"

"So you follow Deathbird, who has already blasted the Shi'ar Empire all of you pretend to care so much about?" Adam-X stepped up. "If I were to become Emperor of the Shi'ar, I would be the ruler of a dead kingdom."

"What are you talking about?" Astra shouted.

"We saw it," Corsair nodded. "She used that M'Kraan gun on the Shi'ar Empire."

"She was supposed to reshape it," Nightside stuttered. "Not destroy it."

"Seems to me the gun isn't all that it's supposed to be," Corsair shouted. "Thousands, if not millions, died because of her. And yet you fight for her. Defend her. And give your lives over to her."

"Liar!" Neutron shouted and leapt from his position, colliding into Gladiator.

"It always comes down to this, doesn't it?" Adam-X smiled. As Neutron's fists slammed against Gladiator, he shouted, "Your strength, Gladiator, has always been over rated!"

Gladiator caught Neutron's fist before it struck a second time, and slowly Gladiator began crushing Neutron's knuckles. "I have been accused of using machinery to amplify my own strength," Gladiator growled (1). "I have endured much, both mentally and physically. I have proven beyond a doubt, who I am, what I am, and all that I stand for." Gladiator threw Neutron through the opposing wall. "And I pity the fool who dares say otherwise!" Gladiator immediately flew through the wall in pursuit of Neutron.

Nightside was next to fly down, like a bat from her safe cavern. "You can not hit what you can not see!"

Within seconds, the same blackness that had cloaked the jungles and pipes, now swept over the Starjammers. "And to you," Manta shouted, "you can not blind what you can not see!"

Through her darkness, Manta's red beam of light struck Nightside's eyes, piercing her darkness. Unable to see, she screamed as she spiraled and struck the wall just to the left of her, her body collapsing into the water. Manta shook her head, "Your body was like a flash light in the darkness!"

Astra dodged Raza's lunge of the sword. "Thou art quick," Raza noted, admiring Astra as she grabbed the pipe above her, and landed on her feet. "But not quick enough!" Raza's blade struck the pipe, and cut it as if it were made of air.

Astra jumped out of the way once more landing on another pipe. "You can not hit what you can not touch."

Raza smiled. "You underestimate me. If tis a game that thou hast desired, then a game thou shall receive." With that, Raza put his sword away, ran toward the wall, and flipped three times, backwards to land on the pipe next to Astra, who stared at him shocked, as in one swift movement he drew his blade and placed it to her throat. "T'would be about now, my lady, I would suggest that thou put thy hands up and surrender."

"A nice notion, Raza," Astra smiled and leaped through him, causing his cybernetic portions to momentarily freeze. "But when I said you can't hit what you can't touch, I meant that I can become intangible."

As Raza fell, Ch'od was there to catch him. "Falling for the wrong women again, I see," Ch'od smiled.

"Funny you are not," Raza sighed, as he stood up, shaking off the effects.

Now it was Adam-X and Astra leaping from pipe to pipe.

"You think you can touch me cross breed?" Astra laughed as she flipped over one pipe, and caught onto another, circling it three times before landing on her feet.

Adam-X was right behind her, mimicking every move she made. "All I have to do is touch you once."

"Well I just won't allow it," Astra laughed as she continued her ascent up the pipes.

"What if I don't give you a choice?" Adam-X smiled, finally stopping, not even the least bit tired.

Astra landed. "And how would you do that, X-Man?"

Adam-X reached into his sleeve and pulled out a number of razor blades. "You see, my mutant power has to work on exposing blood cells. If you're intangible, I obviously can't hit you. But," he began throwing blades at her, which passed through her, "if you're anything like the X-Man, Shadowcat, you can't breathe correctly while you're intangible, so eventually you have to become solid to get air.

And as long as I keep tossing these," he gestured to his sleeve, "and I have a lot of them, and really all day and night, you're eventually going to get hit."

Her growl of anger showed Adam he was right, even as she began to leap upward more. Adam began chasing her once more, until the reached the top. Far below, the others looked like mere specks on the ground.

"This is the end of the line," Adam smiled. "You either surrender, or this gets painful."

"Painful for you, X-Man!" And with that Astra leapt at Adam-X. Figuring she was solid, Adam-X sidestepped, and before falling too fast, grabbed the very pole he had been standing on with his left hand, and swung back up, while swinging his right hand at Astra. The blades on his wrist cut Astra only slightly.

Adam-X pointed at the back of her thigh. "You're bleeding, Astra. Don't make me do this. It's a long fall from here."

As soon as Astra turned towards Adam-X, he shook his head, "Damn you, I didn't want this… burn!"

And with that, one might describe it as the sensation of a thousand volts of electricity entering one's body from a small, tiny point, and coursing through it repeatedly, until the body can take it no more and shuts down.

Astra might have had said that, if she could have maintained consciousness.

As she fell off the pipe, Adam-X shook his head, "Oh, this is going to hurt…" And with that, dove off the pipe after her, catching up to her as she fell, and wrapped her under one arm. He tried to reach for one pipe, but missed, the next he hit with his body, the razors on his wrist sparking against it, the next he hit with his shoulder, all the while, remaining his hold on Astra. Finally hitting a catwalk, Adam turned his body so he took the brunt of impact, rendering him unconscious as all the air escaped his lungs.

Just below, Warstar tangled with Ch'od. As the two muscular sized, emerald skinned warriors tested their physical strength against one another, Lockheed flew around them, startled that within Warstar, the small one known as B'nee leapt out and attacked. Grabbing onto Lockheed's wings, it was about the same size as the dragon. Emitting an electrical pulse through Lockheed's body, B'nee assured himself a quick victory.

However, B'nee suddenly noticed it had no effect on the purple dragon, as its eyes came together to focus on the small, green figure clasping on his wings. Lockheed took in a breath, and then released a fiery flame through his mouth, which encompassed B'nee and sent the little alien tumbling into the wastewater below to put out the fire that ignited him.

Lockheed let out a puff of smoke in satisfaction. Suddenly Flashfire let out an unholy scream of pain, which distracted Ch'od. At that moment, C'cil, the larger half of Warstar, landed a solid punch into Ch'od's jaw, sending the reptilian alien spinning and falling to the ground.

Corsair looked at Flashfire as his skin began to smolder and smoke. He buckled over, clenching his stomach, screaming violently. Corsair backed up. "This can't be happening," he muttered.

The smoke continued to rise from Flashfire's body as black dots formed all over him. "What is happening? Why is this happening to me? It hurts. By the Crystal, it hurts!" His screams continued as his skin began to blister. Slowly, even his body began to change. His teeth slowly grew into fangs. His head began to extend upward in a "V" like shape, as his body grew long. His hands seemed to melt into long tentacles on each side, small legs forming along his side. Soon his screaming stopped, as the mutation continued.

The scream almost became a sound of pleasure. Raza stood behind Corsair, "What is happening?"

"Flashfire has had a Warrior-Prime Brood Embryo implanted within him," Corsair choked, "and that embryo has come to maturity. As it does, all its victims, it consumes them, transforms them, and in the process absorbs the totality of their memories, abilities, genetic potential… everything… and it makes them…"

"A Warrior-Prime Brood," Raza gestured at what was once formerly Flashfire. All that was ever inside of him, over taken by the bloodlust of the Brood. "This just got a lot more difficult," Corsair muttered beneath his breath. He turned to Raza, "Now the question is – when were the Imperial Guard infected… because if Gladiator was infected as well, and he turns on us…"

Raza drew his sword, "Should we take them then, while they don't suspect us? If we're going to kill Gladiator and the others, we have to do it now, while they're allied with us."

"No," Corsair grabbed Raza's sword arm. "We cross that bridge when it happens. Right now, without Gladiator, we have no way of carrying the energizers back to the Starjammer. For all of Ch'od physical strength, it can not compare to Gladiators."

Raza nodded, "Fair enough – but why aren't the others morphing into Brood warriors?" Raza gestured at Gladiator and Neutron. "If not Gladiator, because they may have been injected while he was with us; but others like Neutron and those that fight for Deathbird?"

"I don't know," Corsair shrugged. "My knowledge is only from what I learned from Xavier's database. Even the X-Men, when they were implanted (2) – their metamorphous happened during different times." (3)

Raza nodded, "Well then we do what we always do."

Corsair nodded towards Raza, "We wing it."

With that, Raza and Corsair charged the newly formed Flashfire…

Meanwhile, at the Starjammer ship itself…

Delphos turned to Oracle, "The future bodes ill. It has taken a drastic turn for worse."

Oracle stood, "What is it?"

"Some of the Imperial Guard," she whispered, her voice failing, "they will no longer have a future with the Imperial Guard…"

"Has Corsair killed them?"

"If he is kind enough," Delphos nodded, "he will indeed spare them the future they've been given… grant them mercy… and release them from their new lives." With that, Delphos crumbled to the ground, in hysterical tears.

Hepzibah stood by Oracle. "What ails her?"

Oracle's brows came together. "I do not know. And I fear the answer."

"Poke into her mind you must," Hepzibah gestured towards Delphos. "If Corsair in danger, go to his side I must."

Oracle looked from Hepzibah to the hysterical Delphos. "I should not do this, but I too, am curious If I can able to sort the images from her mind."

As Oracle peered into Delphos' mind, she suddenly stumbled back, her face, had it not already been white, would have drained itself of all color. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Hepzibah asked.

"In her mind… I saw… I saw members of the Imperial Guard… transformed into the Brood!"

"What?" Hepzibah's hair raised on end. "If with Imperial Guards' power they have, then much more powerful they are!"

Lilandra, on crunches, approached. "The true question is," she placed her hand on Hepzibah's shoulder, "is, when were they infected?"

Hepzibah's eyes widened, realizing what Lilandra suggested.

Perhaps all of the Imperial Guard were infected… before joining the Starjammers!

"This could be the end," Lilandra whispered. "Not just of their lives, our lives, but the world, if my mad sister is able to continue beyond here."

"Help Corsair we should then," Hepzibah growled.

"No," Lilandra kept her hand firmly on Hepzibah's shoulder. "Corsair wants us here, working on the ship. Through thick and thin, we will do it, or die trying."

Hepzibah looked at Delphos and Oracle, then to Smasher, Titan, and Electron… "If fight them we must, die we will. Also, without Delphos and Oracle, without vision and telepathic contact Corsair and others are."

Electrical discharges flew from Flashfire's new Brood form. "Surrender, Corsair," the Warrior-Prime Brood hissed. "Surrender and become one of us. It is the only way you will ever hope to survive."

Electrical sparks danced off the pipes, landing near Adam-X. Adam opened his eyes, and immediately found himself greeting with the pain that wracked his body. Propping himself up on one elbow, he put another hand to his head. "I knew that was going to hurt, but that was ridiculous."

Astra laid next to him, barely coming to consciousness as well. "You… you risked your life to save me?"

Adam-X smiled, "That's what we heroes tend to do."

"Then you are not as evil as Deathbird has said," Astra backed away.

"No," Adam smiled. "Now if we could get the rest of your thick headed kind to listen." He smiled at her.

Her response was a scream.

She doubled over, her cries completely incoherent.

Her skin began to smoke.

Adam's eyes widened, "What's happening to you?"

"No," she cried, "by the Sacred Crystal, no!" She looked at Adam as he skin began to boil and welt. "You have to stop it."

"Stop it?" Adam blinked. "I don't even know what it is."

She drew closer to Adam, as her hands turned to tentacles. Suddenly it dawned on Adam-X what was happening to her. "End my suffering," she whispered, "don't let the egg within me take over."

"How?" Adam whispered.

"Kill me," Astra pleaded. "I am still in control. I won't phase. Cut me and use your power to save me."

Adam-X backed away. He was actually, in his brief fight with Astra, beginning to enjoy her, despite being on opposing sides. "I can't," he muttered.

"You must!" she screamed. "If you don't and the embryo within me hatches completely, then it will become extremely powerful. I have been holding back, Adam. Because I want to believe in you, Corsair, and the others. I wanted to believe that you were not all being misled by you – the son of D'Ken, heir to the Madness." She drew closer still, her teeth becoming sharp fangs. "Do it! Quickly! I can already feel the embryo within me seeking to gain control – to stop me, and kill you."

"I can't!"

"DO IT NOW!"

Out of instinct Adam threw the blade, which struck her body, which was already turning into large stingers, full of lethal poison."Forgive me, Astra," Adam whispered.

"I wouldn't forgive you if you let me live," she whispered, tears escaping her brood shaped eyes.

"Burn!"

There was a burst of powerful light and Adam found himself thrown against the wall, where once again, he lapsed into unconsciousness, to the sound of Astra's voice screaming.

Raza dodged beneath Flashfire's poisonous stinger. "Is there any way to save them Corsair? The ones that have changed?"

Corsair fired his gun, which Flashfire was quickly able to dodge, once he was airborne. "No," Corsair muttered matter-of-factly.

"So then," Raza paused, dodging yet again another swing of the venomous stinger. "We should end this?"

"Yes," Corsair nodded. "Flashfire is no longer there. The Brood has long since taken over."

"Fine then," Raza dodged the stinger once more, coming under the belly of Flashfire's brood body. He then shoved his blade through the Brood's body. Flashfire let out a scream, as bolts of electricity lashed out uncontrollably.

However, in his flailing, this time the venomous stinger connected with Raza, cutting deep into him. Immediately Raza felt the venom's poison coursing through his veins, burning as it did so.

Corsair rushed to Raza's side, who quickly shoved away Corsair's help and stood on his own. "I am fine."

"Their poison is lethal Raza," Corsair whispered.

"I will not die, until I see this through," he replied through clenched teeth.

Corsair paused, looking at Raza, the concern clearly on his face. They stood locked in their stares, before he turned away. "Where are the others?"

Ch'od entered from the right, with C'cil being dragged by his collar, while Lockheed had B'nee by the arm, pulling him in. At that moment, Gladiator entered the room from the hole he had created with Neutron slung over his shoulder. Manta had been found, unconscious, rendered so, by Flashfire's explosive death at Raza's hands.

"Where's Adam and Deathcry?" Gladiator asked, concerned about the two heirs to the Shi'ar Throne.

Just above them, Adam-X awoke to the sensation of his head pounding, and his mouth parched. Adam looked across from him, much to his surprise seeing Astra in her normal form. He blinked again, certain that his own eyes had deceived him. But even after a few moments, the same vision was before him. Astra unconscious.

And not as a Brood.

Below, Adam could hear Corsair calling out for him and Deathcry.

Adam looked over the catwalk, "Up here, with Astra."

Corsair looked up, and could barely see Adam's head. "Is everything all right?"

Adam looked back at Astra then down to Corsair, "I believe so." Drawing a number of razors, he edged towards Astra and gently shook her. "Astra?"

She looked up with hazy eyes. "Adam?"

"Yeah," he smiled back at her. "It's me. And it's you."

"I," she looked at her hands. "I am not a Brood?"

"No," Adam smiled.

"But how?"

"Perhaps when I cut you and used my power, rather than killing you," Adam smiled, "it killed the embryo within you since it was at its most fragile state?"

"Then," she blinked, "it's true. You are the savior of the Shi'ar." Her arms wrapped around Adam, "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Adam winced, "Easy there. Bones are bruised from that last fall."

She looked at Adam, "That's twice you have saved me within the hour."

"Don't mention it," he nodded.

Adam and Astra made their way down to Corsair and the others. "What are we going to do about them," Ch'od gestured towards the unconscious members of the Shi'ar Empire.

"I shall keep guard over them," Astra volunteered.

"You?" Gladiator spat. "You who has sided with Deathbird?"

"I have changed, Gladiator," Astra backed away from the captain of the Imperial Guard. "Adam has shown me the mistake I made."

"I do not trust you!"

"You will trust her," Adam turned, "And that, Guardsman, is an order from your Emperor."

Gladiator looked at Adam-X shocked, then turned to Astra. "Please forgive me for speaking out of place, Astra."

"It is fine," she began, bashfully. "I can not blame you for not trusting me."

"I trust her," Adam-X looked at them. "And that's enough for me, and so shall it be enough for the rest of you."

"We don't have much choice," Corsair agreed. "We're a small enough force as it is. Astra, try to get in telepathic contact with Oracle. I have been trying these last few minutes, but I am not getting anything. Give them an indication where you are and they can send either Titan or Smasher to come arrest the others." Corsair looked around, "But Deathcry and Nightside are both unaccounted for."

"Shall we wait for them?" Ch'od asked.

"No," Corsair shook his head. "We have to keep moving. Every second we take in here makes for another second the others could be discovered – if not already… the fact that I can't reach Oracle telepathically worries me. But we have to assume they're alive and well. If Deathcry returns here, Astra can turn intangible until Deathcry believes her – or if Astra needs to escape from her, in the event Deathcry doesn't believe her." Corsair rubbed the gems on his sleeves and drew out his gun. "But truth be told, I think it was just a little too easy and coincidental that Deathcry landed with us… She lead the West Coast Avengers to their death (4) and she probably means to lead us to our death… she's probably a spy for her mother."

Not far from there, Deathcry chased after Nightside.

"Why don't you just leave me alone?" Nightside screamed.

Deathcry leapt from one pipe to the next. "Because you serve my mother! Murderer of the West Coast Avengers! Murderer of my friends! Murderer of my people!"

Deathcry's talons tore into Nightside's cloak. Nightside's repeated attempts to use the darkness to lose Deathcry had proved fruitless. Deathcry's superior sense of smell and hearing always allowed her to keep Nightside well on track, even when her own eyes could not see her.

Suddenly, Nightside doubled over. She collapsed, barely able to cling onto one of the pipes. She looked at Deathcry. "Help me."

Deathcry stood opposite of her, her feline like eyes meeting with Nightside's showing no remorse, no caring.

Then Nightside's skin began to smoke, her skin began to blister. "What is happening to me? The pain… it hurts." She looked one more time at Deathcry. "Help me… please."

"I can't," Deathcry said coldly. "You're turning into one of the Brood. Soon you won't even exist. Only the Brood side of you will."

"You can't let this happen," Nightside pleaded.

"I can't?" Deathcry crouched down in front of Nightside as her skin boiled. "And are you going to stop me? Force me to save you from this fate?"

"You would allow me to become one of them?"

"You're right," Deathcry suddenly smiled, chillingly, then clawed Nightside's hand with her talons forcing her to release the pipe. Nightside screamed as she apparently fell to her death, somewhere far below, in the dark shadow; the pain of the Brood hatching, disrupting her thought enough that it did not permit her to fly; and yet the egg was too young, to have sprouted its wings.

Meanwhile, within the Brood City… 

Deathbird stared at the Brood Queen. "I have delivered to you what you wanted. As many of the Imperial Guard as I could. The others are with Corsair and his brigands, the Starjammers. Undoubtedly they too are here, seeking me out. But I won't be here much longer. Now give me the trade."

"The Brood make no trades," the over sized Brood Queen hissed.

"If you do not," Deathbird smiled confidently. "Than those that serve me shall destroy this world of yours with the M'Kraan gun."

"They would kill you as well," the Brood Queen, replied, confident that Deathbird would not forsake her own life.

"Little loss," Deathbird smiled back. "Without the final piece needed for the M'Kraan gun, there is little reason to live."

She looked at the Brood Queen. "Now do I give the command to end this world of yours, or do you hand me the piece?"

The Brood Queen stared at Deathbird for a long moment, before one of her tentacles wrapped around a small, ruby type stone and handed it to Deathbird. "There, a fragment of the M'Kraan Crystal."

"Thank you," Deathbird smiled. She then drew a stick that quickly turned to a javelin and threw it at the Brood Queen. The Brood Queen acted quickly, wrapping her tentacle around a drone and shoving it before her. The javelin pierced the drone's lungs, and quickly ended its life.

"Food for thought," Deathbird smiled, "should you ever think of crossing me ever again. Moondancer, bring me back."

In a tingling beam, Deathbird was gone, but left to the sound of haunting laughter, "Beware, the Starjammers are here and they crave blood."

The Brood Queen looked around, "Drones! Warriors! Protect me! Search every crevice! The Starjammers are here! Kill them! Kill them all!"

Meanwhile, somewhere below…

Deathcry leaped down from the pipe, landing just a few feet in front of Corsair.

"There you are," Corsair eyed Deathcry cautiously. His eyes scanned the darkness for other possible Imperial Guardsmen who still faithfully followed Deathbird and her mad scheme. "Where have you been?"

"Chasing Nightside," Deathcry shrugged, nonchalantly.

"And where is she?" Corsair asked, looking at her.

"She got away," Deathcry smiled.

"She got away?" Corsair echoed, in question.

"Yeah, she used her darkness," Deathcry nodded. She looked at the others. "So where do we go from here?"

"I just got a telepathic message from Oracle," Corsair looked at the others, "and it seems she has recovered. Apparently Delphos saw what we saw… some of the Imperial Guard have been infected with the Brood Egg. But we now know, there may be a way to save them."

"Save them?" Deathcry looked over her shoulder. "How?"

"Using Adam's power," Corsair explained, gesturing at Adam-X. "Apparently just as they are transforming into a brood, if Adam uses his mutant ability – it causes extreme pain to the person, but it actually kills the embryo within them, while it is at its weakest."

Meanwhile, back at the Starjammer…

Oracle suddenly sat up, "I sense other thoughts, close by."

Corsair stepped through the brush. "Do not worry, Oracle.

It's just me. The others aren't far behind. We got what we needed. We should be out of here once we get things done."

"Clever you are," Hepzibah leaped down from the tree above Corsair. "Look like Corsair you may, smell like him you do not."

Hepzibah's claws ripped across Corsair's chest. Corsair tumbled backwards, his form changing before her eyes. "Hobgoblin of the Imperial Guard you are!"

"Clever," a voice said from somewhere, and suddenly in front of Oracle, Scintilla grew to her naturally size and landed a solid punch, sending Oracle spinning and falling to the ground. "The telepath is down, the rest should be easy without her."

"You underestimate us," Smasher said, coming to land next to Oracle. "And that shall be your mistake, Scintilla, just as following Deathbird has been."

A blast from Impulse's visor struck Smasher sending him flying into the Starjammer. Smasher brushed off the attack and stood up, "Impressive as always, Impulse, but not quite enough. I am giving you the chance to surrender now. You are out numbered and outclassed."

"Ever one to assume his strength is everything," Blackthorn, the chloroform based life form sneered. "Have you forgotten your surroundings?" At that moment, vines began to entangle the others. "Have you forgotten my ability to communicate and control any form of plant life?"

Starbolt flew out of the Starjammer. "Release them, Blackthorn," Starbolt threatened from above. "Don't make me do this."

His fiery figure hovered above Blackthorn. "You know, as well as I do, that you possess a weakness to my powers… And if I am forced to use them, I will. You must see that all of you are being mislead, possibly used by Deathbird, as pawns in her game, whatever that game might be."

Commando II stepped forward, "And you must see that you follow space pirates who are wanted in ten systems, by the Shi'ar Empire, for actions they have committed, including theft, kidnapping, and up to treason. And yet you expect us to follow them? You judge us for following Deathbird, whose only mission now is to bring peace once and for all?"

"Peace?" Lilandra scoffed. "How? By destroying everyone and everything? Silencing every voice in the Universe?"

"Do not try to deceive us," Mentor snapped. "You have been warped by the Starjammers, and it is time to arrest you all!"

At that very moment, Webwing, who appeared to be a giant mollusk, able to levitate himself and entrap victims within his tentacle flaps, suddenly ensnared the closest one to him – a glowing blade pierced Webwing's mouth and cut a hole, from which Khaos stepped out of. "Your sedative," Khaos stumbled, "is strong… but not… strong… enough…" And with that, Khaos lapsed into unconsciousness to the sound of Webwing screaming in pain, as the gashing wound bled.

Just to the right of Khaos, as the fight broke out, Titan grabbed a hold of Scintilla. "You must convince them to stop, Scintilla," Titan said. "This fighting will get us nowhere. Deathbird is our only enemy."

"She is your enemy," Scintilla replied, and shrunk herself, easily slipping out of Titan's giant hands.

Starbolt released his flame, which struck Blackthorn, catching the plant like alien on fire. Blackthorn screamed in pain, and the very jungle around him, seemed to respond in kind, as vines and branches struck out wildly. One thick branch struck Starbolt in the back, and much to his surprise, knocking the air from his lung, sending him falling to the ground.

Zenith moved to stand next to Starbolt and began absorbing his bio-energy, ensuring that Starbolt would remained weakened. Then he turned and with a blast from his finger tips struck out at Smasher who was engaged in battle with Impulse.

Oracle positioned herself on one elbow, the world before her a fuzzy one. She could see figures fighting… but the punch that Scintilla had landed was a jarring one to say the least. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. `Corsair, some of the Imperial Guard have found us here. We are engaged in battle with them. I am not sure how it will turn out…'

`Moondancer,' Corsair answered her telepathic message. `She probably pinpointed the Starjammer's energy signature. Should have known.'

Electron jumped over Oracle and aimed his electrical blast at Zenith, striking him squarely in the back. "Get away from Starbolt!"

At that moment, Glom leaped at Electron, who blasted Glom in the mouth. Glom pounced on Electron, completely unaffected. "Me digest blasts from Quasar, you nothing compared to him."

"He may not be as powerful as Quasar," Smasher replied, flying down and grabbing Glom by the mouth. "But you will forgive me, if I find it unsatisfactory that you're pouncing on my friend and comrade?" With that, Smasher threw Glom like a disc, far away from the current battle.

Suddenly the battle paused, as Hobgoblin doubled over screaming.

His flesh began to smoke.

"What's going on?" Impulse paused to look at his teammate.

"His new birth," Oracle said, standing with the help of Smasher. "What you didn't realize is, while we were following Deathbird, she betrayed us all. Her only goal was getting the final fragment for her M'Kraan Gun. She turned us over to the Brood Queen at some point, and I don't know when, as barter. Us for the fragment.

Deathbird gained the fragment; the Brood Queen gained the Imperial Guard as hosts for her Warrior-Prime Brood embryos and Queen egg embryos. After all, in Deathbird's quest for peace, there would be no need for the Imperial Guard to maintain order…"

"You're lying!" Scintilla shouted.

Mentor looked at Hobgoblin, as his hands turned to tentacles, his head taking the "V" shape of the Brood. "By my most estimated guess, I would say that Oracle is telling the truth."

"So what do we do? Were we all implanted?"

Suddenly the Imperial Guardsman formerly known as Hobgoblin rose up as a Warrior Prime Brood. "Destroy them!" His tentacle pointed at the Starjammers, and the Imperial Guard who had sided with them. "The Mother of All commands us!"

"Now do you see?" Oracle screamed.

Immediately the Brood wrapped its tentacles around Oracle. "You are the telepathic wench! You are in contact with the rest of the Starjammers and Imperial Guard! Mother of All will be glad to speak with you, to find out where they are, before implanting you with an egg, as well!"

At that moment, Cr+eee scrambled up the Brood's legs, and with its tiny feline like claws, raked the Brood's eyes. The Brood reeled back, releasing Oracle and batting Cr+eee away. "Foolish animal! I will feast off the marrow of your bones, and pick my teeth with your ribs after feasting on your flesh!"

Hepzibah landed in front of the blinded Brood. "Fear can not let you do so," she whispered. "Lockheed never forgive me if friend hurt." And with that, Hepzibah leaped at the Brood, who immediately attempted to sting her with its venomous stingers.

"Foolish feline," the Brood hissed. "One sting and you shall be die a painful death! You have no purpose to the Brood! You have no powers that the Mother could benefit from, so you can die! Like that mate of yours, Corsair, shall die!"

As the stingers came close, Hepzibah slid out of the way, and landed on the ground, then used her powerful legs to kick the stinger into the Brood's body. Though mostly immune to its own venom, the Brood is not immune to it when it punctures two of its hearts beating in its chest.

The Brood, formerly known as Hobgoblin, collapsed to the ground, gurgling sickly as it choked on its own lifeblood. Lilandra approached, placed her laser to the Brood's head and fired, granting mercy on a merciless creature.

"It's true," Mentor whispered. "Everything they said is true… that means we have been implanted with the Brood Egg… according to everything I know… there is no way to reverse this process… we will all hatch as Brood… already I can feel it creeping in my mind… forcing me to live… when I know I can't… I can't let the Brood have me!"

With that, Mentor drew his gun, and though he rarely used it, for he abhorred violence; he used it this once. Not to hurt anyone. Put to free himself of the Brood. Blackthorn stared at the others, and after his burn, turned and fled into the jungle. At that moment, Impulse screamed. The suit he wore began to twitch. He was a non-humanoid organism that was able to produce enormous amounts of bio-concussive energy. However, it was the containment that gave him his humanoid appearance. Realizing his friend was in pain, Webwing wrapped his tentacles and engulfed Impulse within his mouth, hoping his neural sedative, which secreted from his pores, would be enough to end his friend's pain. However, the result of Impulse into a Brood was one none could have ever suspected.

There was an explosion that sent all standing, flying back five to ten feet, slamming into anything that was in their way.

When it cleared, neither a Brood, Impulse or Webwing stood where they formerly had…

Oracle stood with the help of Smasher. "Now do you believe us?"

Scintilla looked at them, her eyes narrowing. "So now what? We die no matter what."

"Join us," Smasher extended his hand. "We may all die today. We may all be reborn as Brood. But if we join together, we stand a better chance of saving those that have not been infected."

Zenith looked at the others. "If there's a Brood embryo inside of me… I will destroy it!" Zenith slowly began to glow, clenching his teeth, feeling the egg within him struggle against him, to regain control, and preserve its own life.

"What is he doing?" Starbolt asked, shielding his fiery eyes.

"He's using his power on himself," Commando II whispered. "He has the ability to siphon energy from living beings – which, would logically include the Brood embryo within him. It drains them of any bio-energy emissions they may possess, and weakens them physically, while enabling him to rechannel the absorbed energy as blasts from his finger tips… as," he pointed at Zenith who was glowing brightly, "you are about to see."

Zenith aimed upward and released a massive bolt of energy, then collapsed forward.

Oracle rushed to his side, then looked at the others. "He is alive," she whispered.

"So he saved himself," Commando II nodded.

"Perhaps," Oracle continued, "but his mind is no longer there… yet his heart beats, his chest rises… it is as if his own mind shut down."

"So where does that leave us?" Scintilla asked.

Oracle looked. "I have narrowed it down. It would seem both you and Commando II have the embryos within you – when I probed your minds, I could feel them trying to force me out. Yet, Starbolt and the others do not have such things…"

"So then, Deathbird just did this?" Scintilla shook her fist. "When she brought us to the Brood City…"

"It would seem so," Oracle nodded.

Commando II cocked his gun. "Then Deathbird and the rest of the Brood have to pay." He turned and began running towards the Brood City, disappearing almost instantly once he was outside the lights of the Starjammer.

"Wait!" Smasher reached out his hand, in vain. He lowered his head, and then turned to Scintilla, "The Starjammer has a status bed that can place you in suspended animation. It will slow your body and heart beat, so much so that it is as if you do not age. This should also prevent the embryo within you hatching. Until the time we can find a cure."

"If there is a cure," Scintilla sighed. "You heard Mentor," she turned and saw her friend who had taken his own life, before allowing himself to succumb to the hatching of the Brood embryo. "He said there wasn't any known cure." She closed her eyes. "Though I disagree with Commando's method… if I remain… I am a danger to all

of you."

She touched Oracle's hand. "Please forgive me. Forgive us all."

Oracle felt the sting of tears in her eyes, "There is nothing to forgive…"

And with that Scintilla ran in the direction towards Brood City, with one intention: To destroy every Brood she came across… and to destroy herself, just before she changed.

Meanwhile, inside the Brood City…

"Hey," Adam pointed, "look who we found."

Corsair stopped. "The rest of the Imperial Guard."

"And I am afraid we can't let you go any further, Corsair," Earthquake threatened.

Corsair looked across the way towards Earthquake. "Look, this goes far deeper than you know. Already Flashfire is dead. We managed to save Neutron, Warstar and Astra. Nightside is still missing… but Flashfire…"

"You killed Flashfire?" Hussar screamed. Both she and Flashfire had a much developed love/hate relationship, which made for an extremely active sexual relationship.

"We didn't kill him," Ch'od shouted. "Deathbird did."

"She would not kill him," Onslaught shouted. (5)

"She did," Corsair shouted. "Just like she's killed all of you."

"What do you mean?" Hussar snapped back.

"She traded your usefulness, to the Brood Queen, just so she could get the last fragment of the M'Kraan Crystal," Corsair shouted. "You have all been implanted with Brood Embryos. And from the signs of it, they will be hatching soon. Flashfire and Astra both began to hatch. Flashfire could not be saved, but Adam has found a way to save Astra, and the rest of you. It works, because when Neutron began to change after the fight, Adam was able to save him the same way he saved Astra. Warstar is fortunate that the Brood found no way to insert the embryo within him."

Without warning, a large furry fist slammed into Gladiator from the back, sending him flying into the opposing wall.

"Surrounded," Corsair shouted, noting that N'rill'iree, Solar Wind, Hardball and Fang IV had snuck up behind them.

"You're kidding me, right?" Adam looked at Corsair. "Another fight?"

"Another fight," Corsair assured Adam.

"Against the Imperial Guard, again?"

"Again," Corsair confirmed.

"Bast'jak," Adam shook his head.

The ground suddenly rippled, as if the Starjammers were standing on water not solid ground. Adam-X and Raza were the quickest to recover with their reflexes. Gladiator stood and turned towards N'rill'iree, "You're a coward," he cranked his neck. "You need to strike from behind to even get a hit on me. You got that hit. You will get no more."

Gladiator then flew into the gigantic humanoid bat, as the two titans clashed.

Onslaught landed in front of Raza. "So they tell me you are an expert in hand to hand combat."

Raza put his sword away. "So they say." He looked at Onslaught, "Art thou foolish enough to try me?"

"I am!" And with that, Onslaught lunged forward with a low left jab, followed immediately by a high left jab. Raza tumbled backwards, thrown back by Onslaught's strength. He was quick as he was strong.

Raza wiped the blood from his lip. "Impressive," he smirked, "but if tis all that you have got, you best call on your gods now."

Raza moved forward, blocking with a right parry, then delivering a left hook, then weaved to the right once more, allowing Onslaught's jab to nick off of his shoulder, while simultaneously using a right hook.

Onslaught now stumbled backward, staring at Raza in awe.

Onslaught moved forward, leaping at Raza, grabbing his head and slamming it into his well-placed knee.

Even sick and poisoned as he was from the Brood's venom, Raza was back on his feet in an instant, wiping the blood from his nose. Raza smiled at Onslaught, as he tasted his own blood on his fingertips. "You drew blood. Good."

Raza that ran up to Onslaught, grabbing him by the hair, bringing his head rapidly towards his fist, which quickly met Onslaught's nose. A sickening crack sounded, as Onslaught tumbled backwards, blood flowing from his nose.

Onslaught attempted to connect with a left hook once again, which Raza blocked with his forearm; then brought his fist, crossing over his arm rapidly, so it struck Onslaught on his already sensitive nose. Onslaught immediately tried to follow by bringing his knee up into Raza's gut, which Raza, quickly brought his arms down unto Onslaught's leg, forcing Onslaught to lose his balance and tumble backward again.

Onslaught rose once more, which Raza greeted by bringing his back knuckles to Onslaught's bladder, followed by a back knuckle to his nose, as he was crouched over. Onslaught fell over once more.

Raza turned and smiled. "Thou hast be found wanting."

Onslaught rose, tried to spin Raza, who then brought a clenched fist to Onslaught's temple, then down to his groin, then up to his neck, then grabbing his hair, brought his fist once more upon his nose.

Onslaught fell again.

And this time did not rise. (6)

However, his skin began to smoke.

Corsair shouted, "Adam, we have one over here about to change."

Adam pulled out a number of razors and threw them at Onslaught, and to his surprise saw Onslaught dodge. A part of his power was his incredible agility and reaction time. The Brood within him knew what Adam was attempting. Corsair had mentioned that the Brood Queen was able to be in telepathic contact with all of her kin.

She must have gotten a vision of what Adam had done to free both Astra and Neutron! And now the young hatching broodling was doing all it could do to keep itself alive!

"Raza," Adam shouted as he chased after the broodling as it scampered up the walls, and into the shadows, "we have a problem."

However at that moment, the broodling leaped down as a full Warrior Prime Brood, with all the powers, memories and genetic potential of Onslaught.

"Oh bast'jak," Adam grimaced. "This isn't good."

"It's true," Earthquake awed at his former companion.

"For the glory of Mother of All!" the Brood formerly known as Onslaught lunged forward, batting away Adam-X, who stood there stunned. Tentacles wrapped around Adam-X, the razors of his uniform barely cutting into the new Brood's flesh. "I shall feast on your beating heart, slayer of young!"

"Not tonight," Solar Wind shouted, as he swooped down, blasting a concussive force from his chest plate.

The force struck the Brood on the side of the head, and shook him up enough to release Adam, who fell to the ground below. The Brood, still clinging to the side of the wall, with tentacles wrapped around pipes, managed to grab Solar Wind by his ankle. "The Mother did not see you fit for an embryo," it hissed through razor sharp teeth. "You require mechanics for your power! You were useless to her as you are useless to me!" Swinging Solar Wind into the wall, the Brood was surprised by the explosion of his chest piece impacting against the wall.

The Brood, cut deeply, tentacles severed, was lying on the ground, rasping for breath, Solar Wind, beside him, also wheezing.

"I saw… what you… were going to do… used my blast… just as I… hit the wall… I am sorry… I couldn't save… you… Onslaught…"

Corsair put his gun to the Brood's head. "Now you're free, Onslaught," and pulled the trigger.

Gladiator was next to Solar Wind, holding him. "You fought well. Worthy of a great warrior, as you are."

Solar Wind looked up at Gladiator, who continued to blur in and out of focus. "Kind words, Praetor, but not truthful."

"Your previous actions," Gladiator nodded, "will not be held against you. It is how you made your final stand that shall be remembered forever."

Solar Wind smiled, then faded away into unconsciousness, where seconds later, death took him from Gladiator's arms.

Gladiator turned to Corsair and the others, "This is another death that Deathbird is responsible for. Nothing, and I mean, nothing will stand in my way when I get my vengeance on her."

Corsair stared at Gladiator as he carried Solar Wind to the side, and set him on a catwalk, out of the water. I don't think there's anyone here that could stop you, he thought to himself.

"Murderers," two voices hissed behind them.

Turning, what was formerly the gigantic N'rill'iree and Fang IV, were now in full Brood form.

"This just keeps getting more difficult," Adam-X wheezed. "Even I am beginning to tire."

Gladiator flew toward N'rill'iree, as the two crashed into the wall. The Brood that had formerly been N'rill'iree hardly seemed affected, its resistance to damage before becoming a Brood had not changed. Gladiator swung, landing punch after punch.

"You and I," Gladiator boomed, "never could agree. Never could see eye to eye. You were always jealous of my position. My strength. The respect I earned." Punch after punch landed upon N'rill'iree, "But that's the thing! I earned it all! While you, like the rat you appear to be, tried to get it through stealth! Lies! Betrayal! You always choose the easier path! Never once did you challenge yourself!"

Ch'od pulled Gladiator off of the Brood body. Gladiator stared at his bloody hands.

"I don't think he will be arguing with you ever again," Ch'od whispered in awe.

Others behind stood in shocked silence.

That silence however was short lived, as Hardball suddenly buckled over screaming.

"Adam!" Corsair shouted, but Adam-X was already there. He took six razors and threw them at Hardball – only to have them bounce from his skin and fly back at him. Two cut him across the cheek; one cut him in the arm. Adam held his bleeding cheek, "Well, that sure didn't work as planned. We got any ideas before he becomes one of the

Brood?"

"Unfortunately," Hussar whispered, "his body allows for anything that strikes him to bounce from him. And," Hussar doubled over, screaming.

"Adam," Corsair shouted as he fired a number of shots at the Brood known as Hardball.

"On it, Corsair," Adam shouted as a number of razor struck Hussar. "Forgive me Hussar, but this is going to be for the best!"

Adam landed on his feet. "Brace yourself to… BURN!"

Hussar whipped her head upward, letting out a scream before buckling over.

"Murderer!" Hardball shouted, then struck Adam-X by bouncing off the wall.

Gladiator flew after Hardball again, "You would dare lay your hands on the Shi'ar Emperor?" Gladiator grabbed on of Hardball's tentacles. "You say that you can bounce off anything, and that anything can bounce off you, Hardball – we have tested that before. Now let us test it to the limit, and by the Crystal, forgive me, but I know it is not you anymore Hardball, just the Brood within you!"

Gladiator then, with all his force and strength, threw Hardball directly down at the ground, every ounce of strength behind it; in which Hardball bounced upwards, crashing through the ceiling.

"Cave in!" Raza shouted as rubble began to fall all around them.

Earthquake raised his hands, and the rubble collapsed to the side.

Corsair looked around, "Incredible."

Earthquake smiled. "Well if you can save me, when the Brood hatchling begins to take over," he patted Corsair on the back, "then we will call it even."

Later, the door to the Brood Queen's chamber blew down.

"Who would dare?"

Three dead brood slid into the room.

"We dare," replied a shadowed figure.

Corsair and the others stepped into the room.

"Warriors attack!" The Brood Queen shouted.

The room erupted into chaos, but lasted only a few short minutes.

And the Starjammers were the only ones standing.

Lady K'smet'vis stood before the Brood Queen.

"Save me!" The Brood Queen shoved Lady K'smet'vis towards the Starjammers, and it was Raza's sword she fell upon. Raza stared at her as she slid on her sword.

"I was hoping for more," Raza whispered, "but I am running out of time myself."

Raza kicked Lady K'smet'vis off his blade and looked at the Brood Queen.

"What do you want?" The Brood Queen shouted. "I can give you anything!"

"We're taking what we need," Corsair snarled. "Whether you say so or not."

The Brood Queen lunged Raza, but it was Lockheed who swooped in front of Raza. A fiery breath came from Lockheed's mouth. The head of the Brood Queen quickly erupted into fire. She screamed in unholy pain, cut short, when Raza's blade cut through her flesh, like a knife through melting butter.

Corsair and the others returned to the Starjammer with the energy cubes required for the Starjammer's power source, to see that the others had also fought members of the Imperial Guard, and many more lives had been lost.

"Deathbird will pay," Gladiator hissed as he lowered the energy cubes. "She will pay most dearly."

Oracle turned to Corsair; "I have terrible news, Corsair."

"What is it, Oracle?"

"Deathbird," Oracle began, "she is going after Earth."

"Earth?" Corsair blinked. "What? Why?"

"Because of you," Oracle looked down at the ground. "Because as Starjammers you have always lead the attack against her. Because your sons, Scott and Alex have attacked her in the past. Because the Avengers have been there to stop her. Now, she has the means to end all life on planet Earth…"

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE STARTLING CONCLUSION OF STARJAMMERS #12…

1\. It's true. Once, long, long ago, when Gladiator attacked the Fantastic Four, and actually managed to lift the entire Four Freedom's Plaza, without it toppling and crumbling, Reed suspected Gladiator had used something to amplify his already astonishing strength.

2\. The X-Men were implanted with Brood Embryo in Uncanny X-Men #161

3\. Wolverine's egg attempted to hatch in Uncanny X-Men #162, while Storm's attempted to hatch in Uncanny X-Men #165, the rest of the X-Men's eggs tried to hatch in Uncanny X-Men #166, while Professor Xavier's embryo attempted to hatch in Uncanny X-Men #167.

4\. See West Coast Avengers #15, Volume 3 for more details, True Believer!

5\. This is obviously not the same Onslaught that was the merger of Professor Xavier and Magneto, which created Alternate Marvel. Believe it or not, this Onslaught, of the Imperial Guard was around before him!

6\. Special thanks to handtohand22/ for the Hand to Hand Combat notations and techniques.

Starjammers #12: "Final Strike."

Corsair - Christopher Summers, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Cr+eee, Carol Danvers - Binary, X-Treme - Adam-X, Lockheed, Sikorsy, Keeyah - Kree pilot, Deathcry, daughter of the malicious Deathbird and the former Empress of the Shi'ar Empire, Lilandra! A band of rebels form a team known as the Starjammers - the pirates of space. Bound together by fate, they find within one another, something that completes each of them - making them perhaps the strangest family of all - welcome to the Starjammers!

In space, they say no one can hear you scream.

For those inside the Starjammer, they can hear her engines screaming loudly, as she raced for planet Earth.

Corsair rubbed his nervous hands against his leg, leaning forward, as if his own weight would force the Starjammer to go faster.

"Worry not Corsair," Hepzibah purred next to him, "stop her we shall, as we have done before."

"Deathbird is dangerous," Corsair replied, without looking at Hepzibah, "just by herself," he finally looked her in the eyes, "Let alone, with her own personal army and the M'Kraan Crystal Gun she's put together."

"We should be thankful then," Ch'od added, "that in order to use the gun, it must have visual contact with its target."

"And thankful," Corsair added, with a gesture towards Keeyah, "that the Starjammer is infinitely faster than Deathbird's ship."

"What are we going to do when we get there?" Adam-X asked. "I mean, when we beat her to Earth?"

"We stop her," Corsair replied, looking at his newest step-son.

"How?" Carol asked, coming to stand next to Corsair.

"Any way we possibly can," Corsair replied.

"That's the answer I expected from you," Carol nodded, half smiling. Carol's thoughts were drowned with thoughts of what Deathbird was capable of doing. Though Carol had decided to live life with the Starjammers (1), Earth was still her birthplace.

Corsair's mind was still racing. There was no way he could fail. Not again. He wanted to contact the other heroes of Earth; to warn them. But what could they do? What could he even do? He had been witness to the murder of the West Coast Avengers! (2) Corsair turned to Keeyah, "Put up the cloaking device. I think I have us a plan."

There was an eerie silence aboard the Starjammer as she floated in space, just above Earth. No one within her massive metal frame spoke a word. Each of them seemed lost in their own thoughts.

Corsair stared out the window of the Starjammer – down to Earth. It seemed as if he could reach out the window and touch it with his bare hands – but he was miles away from it, and so was his heart. He had been born on Earth, as a regular human – looking back at that idea, it seemed strange now. He had made space his home. His life drastically changed the day D'Ken took an interest in him and Katherine. Emperor D'Ken had been quite fond of Katherine Summers, and forced her into a life of being D'Ken's pleasure maid, while he himself, had been sent to the slave pits.

Corsair had been a slave there for who knows how long. Day and night passed by unaccounted for. In the shadows of the slave pit, it was always night. It was always dark.

Corsair had managed to escape one night, and rushed the palace to kill D'Ken and hope to free Katherine. However, D'Ken took Katherine Anne Summers, and stabbed her right before Corsair's eyes after he had been captured.

His will, his heart, his soul, broken and shattered, what he thought was beyond repair; he was once again tossed into the mining prison colony. (3)

It had been the end of his world that night.

He could have died and never cared.

Sometime later, he had run into a catlike being, hunted by guards. She was captured and beaten before Corsair's eyes. When he stepped forward to ask them to stop, he received a whipping from a neurowhip, and it had been enough to silence him. He watched as they mocked him, beat her, stabbed her, and carried her away.

Cowering in the corner, moments later he had been approached by a cyborg and a massive reptilian alien, who introduced themselves as Raza and Ch'od. They had been looking for their friend, a female feline creature named Hepzibah – but he had been too terrified to speak then. So they left him alone and had continued their search.

Corsair had realized then how far he had fallen. How he had let everything get to him and break him, rather than take in all that happened – redirect it – and make him stronger, more determined to prevail.

He remembered back then, picking up a knife he had forged out of the crystals he had been mining. He snuck through the shadows like a thief, and stabbed several of the guards and helped Hepzibah free herself. She had at that time, bitten him and explained that she was now indebt to him, by the Blood Oath, which was a Lifebond, and that it would be until death that she would always serve and help him. Just then, more guards had arrived – and rather than cowering, despite the overwhelming odds – Corsair fought valiantly. The odds were quickly turning against them, when Ch'od and Raza joined the fight, and helped win the battle.

They had escaped, by acquiring a space ship, which Corsair flew. Over the years, they had established themselves as pirates of space, known as the Starjammers.

Corsair, in that moment learned strength, honor, trust and courage.

Despite the odds. Despite having lost everything.

He learned, there was always something to gain.

Hope.

Now, was no different. The stakes were much higher. But Corsair would not let the hopelessness sink in. The fact that Deathbird could simply make the Earth "blink" away… but this wasn't the first time Corsair and the Starjammers had dealt with the M'Kraan Crystal. (4)

The Starjammers had followed the kidnapped Lilandra through a stargate and arrived on a barren planet in front of the M'Kraan Crystal, which had been in the possession of D'Ken. Uncertain of what exactly was going on then, they had suddenly found themselves surrounded by the Imperial Guard.

Now, Corsair thought to himself, it seemed ironic that the remaining members of the Imperial Guard were with him – this time on the side of the Starjammers – and this time to face Deathbird.

During the battle with D'Ken, Waldo had informed Raza that the fabric of reality was in jeopardy. Raza had taken D'Ken and thrown him into the M'Kraan Crystal. Phoenix had used her powers to fix the Crystal and repair reality, using the life force of Storm and Corsair. D'Ken had survived as well – but left insane and later catatonic.

This time, there was no Phoenix to repair the Crystal.

There was no X-Men to help fight.

This time it was all on Corsair, the Starjammers and the members of the Imperial Guard who chose Lilandra over the insane Deathbird.

He stared out his window, down to Earth. He thought about Scott and Alex. He wondered how they were – and if he failed, how it would all be over. He clenched his fist. He had endured too much to lose now. He would not give up. He would not surrender.

He would not lose.

His mind raced, tracing back the years. He had made space his home, assuming that both of his sons had died when Corsair and his wife were abducted by the Shi'ar. (5)

He clenched his fist.

Deathbird would not prevail.

Raza stood off to the right, his eyes on the monitor screen waiting for any signs of activity – more importantly, energy signatures from Deathbird's Shi'ar Dreadnaught. Though his eyes were fixed on the screen – his mind raced back to the look of her face on his blade, dying.

His whole life, he had wanted revenge.

And now he had gotten it.

It seemed bitter sweet.

But only for a moment.

Poisons ravaged his body, and he did everything to hide it.

He had refused medical attention from Sikorsy, claiming that despite his readings, that he was in perfectly fine health. In truth, he felt as if he was about to die any moment now. But he would not be laying down, when Deathbird appeared. It was not his way. He was born and bred to fight. To kill. To be the most effective fighter there could ever be. And he had become just that.

He clenched his stomach as he felt the poisons devour him from the inside.

Carol came to stand behind Raza and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You should really let me take over. You should see Sikorsy."

Raza peered sideways, without moving his head. "I am fine."

"I can tell you're not fine Raza," Carol replied, softly, concerned.

"I will live long enough to see Deathbird fall," Raza replied turning to her. "Then I can die peacefully."

"Just because you finally got your revenge, Raza," Carol snapped, "doesn't mean your life is over. It shouldn't mean that you have nothing else to live for!"

"My revenge," Raza shook his head, "was all I ever lived for."

"What about me?" she placed her hands on her chest. "What about us? What about the Starjammers? Your friends?"

They locked gazes for a long moment, before he turned around.

She stared at his back for another for moments, before he whispered.

"I will consider it."

Corsair stood up, and looked at Hepzibah. "I wish to speak with you."

"Of course," she purred and stood up.

As the two headed for the door, which slid open automatically, Corsair tilted his head. "As soon as Deathbird's ship drops in – let me know. I want front row seats when we take that bird down."

"Of course," Keeyah nodded to Corsair.

Corsair and Hepzibah walked down the hall for sometime before Corsair turned to Hepzibah, who he once rescued, and now was his love interest.

"You disobeyed a direct order," he began, sounding as he did when he was an Air Force pilot so many years ago.

"Shoot to kill I did," Hepzibah replied. "No less they deserve. See what they did to you, I did. To me. To Ch'od. To Raza. Death they wanted for us."

"It doesn't matter what they did," Corsair replied, "or what their intent was. I knew we could cripple their ships and leave them alive."

"Alive," Hepzibah replied, "to be fixed, and fly again. To do to others as they did to us?"

"Maybe they would have," Corsair nodded. "Or maybe, after this is all said and done, they would have seen the error of their ways and changed."

"Hard change is," Hepzibah replied. "Shi'ar greatest empire not because they ask. Because they take."

Corsair nodded. "And what about us?" He asked. "We who break their laws. Are we any better? Is a law not valid to us, and thus worth ignoring, just because we don't like it? Where do we draw the line between what we're doing?"

"Right we are," Hepzibah replied, "in fighting the Shi'ar."

"Are we?" Corsair paused, looking at his own feet, as if questioning why they had suddenly ceased working. "When does the fighting stop?"

"So long as Shi'ar rule, we fight," Hepzibah replied.

"And it's as simple as that to you?" Corsair asked.

Hepzibah nodded her head. "Yes."

"And what if Deathcry takes the throne? Or my own step son, Adam? Do we fight him then?"

"No," Hepzibah began. "Make good ruler Adam would." She looked at Corsair. "Not so sure about Deathcry I am."

Adam-X stared outside the window to the planet Earth. There, he had found hints and pieces to his past. Who he was. What he was to become. He stared over his shoulder, just as Lockheed wrapped himself around Adam's neck. Gently petting Lockheed, Adam looked over at Corsair. Though not his genetic father, Corsair was a man Adam felt very drawn to. Corsair's wife, Katherine Anne Summers, had been Adam's mother, while the mad D'Ken had been his father.

Lockheed let out a puff of smoke between his nostrils, as if understanding Adam's thoughts. He smiled at the purple dragon and turned back towards Earth. Down there, somewhere he had two brothers. Scott and Alex. Corsair's sons.

Perhaps, when this was all done and over, he could return to Earth and meet his half brothers. To have a family. To have a past. A root. A foundation.

He smiled inwardly, as once again Lockheed made a sound, resembling content, as if once more knowing Adam's thoughts.

Sitting in the silence of her anger, Deathcry stared forward at the vast, empty space before them. She didn't see Earth or the stars or even the sun. She only saw blackness, her mind driven by the idea of putting an end to the life of her mother – Deathbird. She had, without mercy or thought, slain the West Coast Avengers! (2, again).

The West Coast Avengers who had taken her in when no one else would. Who had trained her to become the best she could be. And her mother had taken all of that away from her. Khaos had come to sit behind her. "You seem lost in thought, so tell me to leave if I am a bother."

"You're not," Deathcry answered, without turning around.

"Are you thinking of your teammates?"

She turned to stare at Khaos. "What is it to you?"

"I just want to say, I know how you feel," he replied.

"How would you know?"

"I spend every day thinking about my people," he replied. "I come from a reality where my homeworld, is much like Earth down below – but it is called Irth. The world is populated by what seems to make up fantasy books on Earth; elves, dwarves, and goblins – all of which use a form of magic called Teknomagic. I was born, as Emperor to my people – The Dark Elves, and an heir to two major thrones – but I was spirited away, and raised to learn what is fair and what is just. As an object of bigotry, I became a mercenary… until the day I found IBIC. It revealed to me, my true path – my destiny, which I had avoided." Khaos looked down at Earth through the Starjammer's window. "IBIC showed me the way to my true self. Charged with the Gods to stop a civil war between the Houses of Elves, I found the true enemy to be Ghath. I had eventually captured Ghath and brought peace to my war torn world. I finally killed Ghath, here on this Earth – and when I was sent back, my body returned to Earth. Now, I wonder how my people are – torn away from them. I wonder have they fallen to war without me to lead them? Are they alive? What has become of them?" He looked at her. "Questions that without answers, devour me from within." He placed his hand on her back. "Undoubtedly you ask yourself if you could have done something to save them.

Perhaps you could. Perhaps you couldn't. All you have now is today, and you have to make the best of it, without being foolish. Don't dishonor yourself by blind revenge – do their memories a true honor – use your heart and mind."

Deathcry looked at Khaos. "You sound like you have a lot of political background."

"I do," he confessed.

"So you're telling me," Deathcry asked, "if you were given a chance to return home right here and now, you wouldn't? You would see this through to the end?"

Khaos remained silent.

But that was answer enough to her question.

"Corsair! We got company!"

That was all it took. Corsair and Hepzibah, who had only moments ago been locked in a wrestling match between their lips – were now bolting down the hallway. Corsair slid into his ship, while Hepzibah slid into the Gunnery seat.

Corsair looked at Hepzibah and nodded, "Aim and fire."

"To kill?" she asked.

Corsair nodded, "To kill."

He spun around, "Keeyah, all shields to the front."

"Already on it," Keeyah nodded.

"Do you think this is going to work?" Ch'od asked, turning slightly.

"It's got to," Corsair nodded.

"If it doesn't, we're going to die," Ch'od mused.

"If it doesn't, we're going to die anyway," Corsair replied.

Despite the intensity of the moment, a charismatic smile danced across his face. A sense of strength, honor and confidence welled up inside of him. Corsair cranked his neck. "We ready?"

"Ready," Raza nodded as he buckled up.

"Then let's do it."

The Starjammer, still cloaked with its superior technology, screamed towards Deathbird's Dreadnaught, The Sunstar. They could see where the M'Kraan gun was positioned, for it was the most patrolled and armored.

It would be protected against common laser fire, even from the most powerful of the Shi'ar Dreadnaughts – perhaps it could even endure the laser barrage from the HMSS Starjammer.

However, what it could not endure was a head on collision with the Starjammer.

Only seconds before impact, the Starjammer dropped her cloaking device – becoming very visible as she screamed towards the Sunstar. The front of the Starjammer collided into the Sunstar, breaching the hull of the Sunstar, for they had no time yet to put up their shields to protect them.

Aboard the Sunstar, Deathbird was suddenly flung against the wall. "What was that?"

Admiral Jar'anel cleared his throat. "It's the Starjammers!"

"What?" Deathbird shouted in disbelief. She was certain that Corsair and the rest of the Starjammers would fly the other direction and hide from her – or maybe come to Earth, grab their families and flee – but to stop and oppose her while she had the power of the M'Kraan Crystal gun? That was madness! She regained her composure. "It ends now!"

"You see," the Admiral straightened himself out. "They knew where the gun was! The Starjammer collided into it, knocking it from its base."

"Then we haul the gun ourselves," Deathbird growled. "And first we do away with Earth – so Corsair can watch! Then we do away with the Starjammers! With them out of the way," she raised her fist, "I shall reign supreme!"

Suddenly alarms rang throughout the ship.

"Now what?" Deathbird glared at the Admiral.

"Those are the sounds of the alarm – we've been boarded!"

Corsair looked around, fired his pistol down the hallway twice at the two Shi'ar Guardsmen who still followed Deathbird. Another shot, hit one in the leg, sending him crawling away. "Clear," Corsair whispered. Khaos, Raza, Ch'od, Hepzibah, Adam-X, Lockheed, Deathcry and Lilandra all ran passed Corsair, their weapons drawn.

Corsair looked around. "Where's Carol?"

"She said she'd be on her way," Adam-X looked behind him.

"She might be with the Imperial Guard," Corsair commented.

Just southeast of Corsair and the others, there was another breech in the Deathbird's ship. This one created by the fist of Gladiator. Stepping inside, he saw two Shi'ar Guardsmen fire their weapons at him. They bounced harmlessly off of his chest as he stared at them, wondering what kind of fools they were to dare and attack him.

One blast of his eyes sent both of the Shi'ar Guardsmen running for their lives.

At that moment, Starbolt, Oracle, Smasher, Titan, Electron, Magique, Manta, and Delphos ran passed Gladiator and cleared the halls.

Smasher spoke into his wristband. "We're clear down here Corsair."

"Same," Corsair's voice crackled in response. "Is Carol with you?"

"Negative," Smasher replied. "I thought she was to be with you?"

"She's not," Corsair replied back.

"Should we go back and look for her?" Smasher asked.

"No," Corsair replied. "We don't have that kind of time. We have to find Deathbird and take her down now. We can't spend any time looking for Carol."

"Understood."

A blast landed near Khaos' foot.

"Halt in the name of the High Ruler, Deathbird!" snapped a voice. Khaos looked up to see two people who looked fairly similar. One was a male with golden skin, white hair, wearing a black and white outfit. The other, a female, also with gold skin and white hair, but her outfit was a reversal of the males.

"And they are?" Khaos asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Black Light and White Noise, respectively," Raza replied. "Son and daughter of Deathbird."

Khaos smiled. "So we can hurt them?"

"Badly," Raza smiled back.

Both Khaos and Raza charged them, their swords drawn.

A powerful black beam flew from Black Light's eyes, colliding into Khaos, sending him slamming against the wall, and rendering him unconscious instantly.

Hepzibah was next to follow up, springing off the walls, her talons ripping deep into Black Light's eyes. He flew backwards, his hands over his eyes as blood poured between his fingers. "My eyes!"

White Light turned to Hepzibah, who had just landed on her feet. "How dare you strike him!"

Before she could release the sound of her powers from her vibrating vocal chords, Raza sheathed his sword, sprung off the wall, and upon her back. His arm quickly wrapped around her throat, while his other hand tilted her head sideways. "Make a sound, and the next thing you hear is your neck snapping." He paused. "And if you think you're faster than me, even with this poison in my veins… I am willing to test it."

She did not make a sound.

"Good," Raza smiled. "Now rest a bit." With one small twitch, he moved his hand to a nerve on her shoulder and pinched it. She let out a gasp, as her nervous system suddenly shut down, and she crashed to the floor with Raza on top of her. Raza stood up and looked at the others, "She will be fine. She's merely paralyzed for a few hours."

Ch'od looked at Khaos. "Should we carry him Corsair?"

Corsair shook his head. "No, he will only slow us down. If we don't find Deathbird in time, it may be better to be unconscious anyway. He won't ever know it was over."

Corsair turned the corner and looked at Gladiator. "She's not this way," he panted between looking at them.

"Interesting ploy," Oracle shouted, "but that is not Corsair! That is one of the Dark Guard, who serve Deathbird! Stuff is his name! Beware! He is not alone!"

Smasher punched Stuff, sending him flying across the room. Smasher looked at his fist in disgust, as it was covered with green liquid.

Squorm, another one of the Dark Guard, turned the corner and fired a laser. Only because of Delphos, did the laser fire miss Oracle. "I saw the laser beam, just seconds before he fired!"

Starbolt went after Squorm, who was nothing more than a liquid life form, contained within a floating exo-suit with servo-limbs and two plasma pistols. Squorm fired the plasma shots into Starbolt, which apparently passed harmlessly through him.

"Stay away!" Squorm shouted.

"You dared to attack us," Starbolt snarled back. "You are fortunate that Gladiator has the back watch, or else it would be he who would be chasing you down – and he is far more less forgiving than I!"

Squorm fired a few more shots, all of which passed through Starbolt. "You're an excellent marksman," Starbolt laughed, "if only your plasma guns had any effect on me, other than power me up further."

Starbolt charged up, and released two plasma blasts from his hands that struck Squorm's armor. The liquid within the armor began to bubble. "Now if I guess right, you're nothing more than a liquid life form – I could heat your armor and cook you within your own armor, making it your prison."

"No!" Squorm pleaded.

Starbolt stopped, as the armor hissed and bubbled, completely short circuited. "That should do it before now."

"Finally!" a female voice boomed. "A chance to face off against the most respected member of the Imperial Guard!"

Gladiator stepped forward. "Monstra, I am giving you one chance – and one chance only – to step aside."

"Step aside?" Monstra laughed. Her hulking, purple form seemed to take up most of the hallway as her three eyes centered on Gladiator. She ran her hands through her green mohawk. "Are you a coward?"

And despite her massive form, before Gladiator knew it, her fist had landed squarely upon the center of his face, sending him tumbling backwards like a bowling ball, with his companions as the bowling pins.

Monstra laughed. "And they respect you?"

Gladiator slowly stood, wiping the blood from his lip. "I will give you credit. I felt that. Slightly." He walked towards her, his hands at his sides. "Now, tell me, do you feel this?" He pulled his fist back, and without holding back, hit Monstra as hard as he could.

Needless to say, she flew back.

Through one wall.

Then another.

And another

And another.

Somewhere after the thirtieth wall, she was no longer within view – but the sound of her slamming through walls continued to be heard.

Corsair turned the corner, and suddenly found electricity coursing through his body.

Adam-X quickly pulled Corsair back around the corner. "Don't you ever look before you turn corners around here?"

Corsair looked up, only slightly hurt. "Well that was certainly a shocking surprise."

Adam-X shook his head. "Corsair, only in space are those jokes funny. That joke is so old on Earth, that people don't even amuse those that say it, by laughing."

Arc shouted from around the corner. "Turn yourselves in, and by Deathbird's request, I shall make your death a quick and painless one! That was only a warning to Corsair – I could make it last forever!"

THOOM.

Adam-X looked around. "What was that?"

THOOM.

"I don't know," Raza said. "But it sounds like it is getting closer."

THOOM.

"Real close," Adam-X replied, standing and drawing his blades. "Anyone you know on the Dark Guard?"

THOOM.

"Not that I know," Raza admitted.

Just then, Arc screamed as Monstra burst through the wall, slamming into him, then continued bursting through several more walls.

Raza and Adam-X looked at each other, "Gladiator."

Meanwhile, aboard the HMSS Starjammer.

Keeyah looked at Carol as she slid on the jetpack. "I don't approve of this, Carol."

Carol looked at Keeyah. "I appreciate that Keeyah," Carol looked out the window. "But that's my planet down there. That's my mom. My father. My friends. My family." She slid the space helm over her head. "Would you do any less if you could save your people?"

Keeyah looked at Carol. "I didn't say I would stop you. I just said I don't approve of it. We both know what is going to happen."

"And I accept that," Carol nodded. "But what is one life, if it saves billions?"

"If it works," Keeyah added.

"As Corsair would say, `It has to work'," Carol smiled. She touched Keeyah's cheek. "Tell them… I love them… that I love them all."

Keeyah looked away. "I will."

With that Carol stepped into the elevator that led outside the Starjammer.

Khaos stepped around the corner. "There you are."

Corsair stood up, still shaky from the static shock he had received. "Khaos, glad to see you caught up."

"The trail of bodies wasn't hard to follow," Khaos nodded, his face much sterner than before.

Raza noted it, and kept an eye on Khaos. Something was wrong with him – he was a lot tenser. As an expert swordsman, Raza knew that meant there was something wrong. Khaos, as a fellow swordsman should be loose, ready to shape and bend, like the sail of a boat.

Corsair and the others blew the door open in front of them.

Sitting before them, Deathbird sat in her throne, with her Admiral, dead at her feet, his neck bleeding; while her own finger nails were drenched in blood.

"I do so hate failure," Deathbird smiled.

Corsair pointed his gun at Deathbird. "Give up, Deathbird. You're out numbered. We have you covered. You make a move and one of us is going to kill you."

"Give up?" Deathbird slowly stood. "You should know Corsair, I never give up. I always have something planned."

Just then, a blade went through Corsair's chest. Corsair's eyes widened as he felt the blade cut through him; saw his own blood fling before him.

His hands went numb as he dropped his gun and collapsed to the floor, slowly sliding off of Khaos' blade.

Deathbird began to laugh as Voyager and Moondancer appeared behind her, through one of Voyager's ripples, followed by Black Light and White Noise.

Khaos had his blade ready and stared at the Starjammers.

Raza clenched his blade. "Why?" were the only words of shock he could form from his lips.

"I am sorry," Khaos whispered. "I really am. However…" His eyes went to Deathcry, as if she alone could understand. "Voyager and Moondancer found me, when they were tracking down White Noise's signature power – when I was left unconscious. I was brought before Deathbird, about to be killed; when she asked why I was with the Starjammers. I explained my situation – she said if I did this – she would use the M'Kraan Crystal to send me back home."

Deathbird raised the M'Kraan Gun. "Everyone has a price," she smiled as she watched Corsair choke and gasp upon the floor.

Unheard, Hepzibah was growling… and each second, her growls increased. Raza turned to see Hepzibah nod at him.

This was it.

This was going to be the end.

One way or the other.

This was going to be the end.

Raza nodded his head.

As if launched from the same action, Raza, in a blur of motion threw his sword as Hepzibah pounced on Khaos.

Raza's sword struck it's mark – had it not been for Deathbird's own astounding agility – it would have gone through her heart. Instead the blade drove itself deep into her shoulder, sending her into a spin.

Hephzibah's talons raked across his armor, rendering it easy. His flesh was quick to be exposed, gashed, ripped and bleeding. It was Ch'od who pulled the frantic, kicking and clawing Hepzibah off of Khaos. Ch'od then lifted Khaos, who could hardly stand after Hephzibah's assault. "Do not mistake what I did for kindness. I believe you have good in you. You just got too desperate. My suggestion for you," he continued to speak, as Hepzibah clawed blindly at Ch'od own resistant skin, "is run, before I let her loose again."

Khaos watched as the possibility of going home suddenly spiraled out of his hands – he was left holding his sword – and holding his questions – as to why he had done it. Why had he compromised his own morals? His own friends? He looked at Ch'od, then bowed his head and ran down the hallway – not even certain where he was going.

All he wanted to do was outrace his shame.

Lilandra was at Corsair's side keeping him stable. She spoke into the wrist communicator. "Keeyah, beam Corsair up now. He needs immediate medical attention."

Within seconds, Corsair's body was surrounded by shimmering colors, then gone.

Raza and Deathbird were locked in mortal combat. As she tried to pierce Raza's heart with her javelins, he fended her off with his daggers. Just as he was doing well, holding his own – pain suddenly struck him deep within his veins.

The poison was taking its toll.

And that was all that Deathbird needed. She broke her hand free from Raza's metallic grasp, and brought one of the javelins through him.

"Raza's down!" Lilandra screamed. "Keeyah, get him!"

Deathbird laughed. "You're all pathetic!" She held her javelins together. "I don't even need the M'Kraan Crystal Gun to be rid of you!"

A blast seared from the tips of the javelin Ch'od stepped before the blast and took the brunt of it – but even he felt the sting, as the acidic blast slowly ate through his flesh. (6)

Deathbird continued to laugh wildly, as Ch'od was beamed up to the Starjammer.

Hepzibah stood and growled at Deathbird. Deathbird shook her head. "Truly frightening," she sneered, "to someone inferior to you. I am, however, by far, superior!" With that she threw her javelins. Hepzibah easily dodged one as Deathbird had anticipated; but the second one was throw a few seconds after – piercing Hepzibah through the shoulder.

Another one beamed to the Starjammer. Deathbird smiled. "My, my – is that my own daughter who stares at me so venomously?" She laughed at Deathcry. She shook her head. "And what of you dear sister?" She asked, as her eyes looked to Lilandra. "Or you dear nephew of mine?" Her eyes settled on Adam-X. "A family squabble isn't it?"

Adam-X drew out three razors. "We move as a team if we want to take her down," he began. "We saw what she just did to the rest of the Starjammers."

"You would even take less effort," Deathbird gloated openly.

Lilandra drew her gun, as Deathcry growled and got ready to pounce.

On Adam-X's signal, he threw three razors, which Deathbird easily blocked with the back of her wing, while Deathcry leaped at her mother. Grabbing Deathcry out of the air, effortlessly, she pulled her in front of her – using her as a shield when Lilandra fired her gun. The laser dug deep into Deathcry's flesh, yet was not a mortal wound. "Shame," Deathbird smiled as she threw Deathcry at Lilandra, "that you were not aiming to kill. You could have killed your own niece – my despicable daughter!"

Surprised by Deathbird's unusual quickness, Lilandra did not think to move as Deathcry landed against upon her, their heads colliding, rendering them both unconsciousness.

Deathbird turned to Adam-X. "So it's down to you and I now."

"You think you can do what the Starjammers could not?"

Deathbird laughed. "While you are a genetic construction of my dear brother, D'Ken and Corsair's wife – you are hardly any match for the likes of me."

"We shall see," Adam-X nodded. He cranked his neck, then leaped at her, with the intention of cutting her – even the slightest cut would do – with his blades, one way or the other. However, such would not be the result.

Just as she had grabbed Deathcry from the air, she did the same with Adam-X, dodging his initial leap, then side stepping enough to grab his hair and yank him violently from his elegant jump, straight to the ground. She placed her foot on his neck, so he couldn't breathe and drew out another javelin.

"Send my regards to your mother," she growled and brought the javelin through Adam-X's heart.

Adam-X watched as the javelin pierced his flesh and went through him. He even heard when the other side of the javelin hit the metallic floor he had been pinned to.

Yet he didn't feel a thing.

"Forgive me if I don't let you kill him," a female voice said. "But I think he's kind of cute – and besides, I owe him my life."

Deathbird screamed as she saw Astra's hands, and realized Astra had phased Adam-X just in time and pulled him through the floor!

"No matter!" she shouted. She turned to the M'Kraan Crystal Gun and walked back to it. "With no one here to stop me – Earth is doomed."

She picked up the gun and took aim at the center of the Earth.

"I hope you're watching Corsair," she sneered as she took careful aim.

"Pfui," came a small voice.

"What?" she turned around to see Lockheed hovering just inches from her face. "You too?"

Lockheed's teeth sank deep into her shoulder, and Deathbird screamed as she saw blood quickly ooze from the wound.

Corsair hobbled up to Keeyah. "Where's Carol? She's been missing?"

Keeyah turned after completing the transmition from Adam-X, to beam up Lilandra and Deathcry. He then pointed outside. "She's out there."

"Out there?" Corsair blinked, and suddenly he saw her drifting with a space suit, powered by jetpacks. "What is she doing out there?"

"Saving Earth," Keeyah replied. "Or so she told me."

"How does she mean to do that?" Corsair asked.

Keeyah looked at Corsair. "She means to use her own body to block the ray – if just once, so the Starjammers can continue their strike against Deathbird."

"She's insane," Corsair shouted, and slammed his fist against the console. "Tell her to get back in here!"

"There's no use, Corsair," Keeyah replied softly. "I tried to talk her out of it… and now her radio transmitter is off, once she heard you were beamed back aboard."

Deathbird batted Lockheed away and grabbed the gun once more.

Without taking aim, she fired. It didn't matter anymore – if she hit Earth, the moon, the sun or some random piece of floating space junk! She watched as the beam, much to her pleasure, streaked towards planet Earth.

Halfway there, the beam stopped.

Deathbird let out a scream of rage. What had happened?

Suddenly – where the beam had stopped – Deathbird saw something that took her breath away.

A large bird – an eagle – made of fire, twice the size of her own ship.

"Phoenix," she gasped.

But as quickly as it was there, it was gone.

But it was replaced by another light.

A star, it appeared.

Glowing.

As if going super nova.

What was it?

Her eyes fixated on it.

It was moving.

Towards her.

And rapidly.

Her eyes suddenly widened with fear, when she recognized it.

"Binary," she choked. The M'Kraan Crystal beam had struck her while she floated in space – and rather than destroying her – it seemed, one of the Crystal's protectors remained close to Earth – the Phoenix Force – and saved Carol, as it had saved Jean Grey so many years ago! (7) And not only that, it had unlocked, once again, Carol's true potential – returning her to Binary!

Deathbird took aim again. Just seconds before she pulled the trigger, Lockheed had grabbed her by the neck and toss her aside. The gun slipped from her hands, and slid across the floor.

This time, Lockheed's attacks were quick and fast. She tried to bat the purple dragon away, but everywhere she swung, he seemed to be in a different place, blinding her with his flurry of bites, kicks, claws and hissing. She ran blindly through the hallway trying to escape. She fled for her life – from a small purple dragon! As quickly as his attacks had begun, they stopped. She looked up, her face, cut and bleeding and saw Binary only seconds away.

"Reap the whirlwind," Binary screamed.

Then proceed to smash through Deathbird's ship, like a searing knife through butter. The ship immediately imploded upon itself, when space sought to quickly steal away the pressure and air that the ship had maintained previous to Binary's attack.

Seconds later there was a massive explosion.

Fragments of the ship drifted through space – the large fragments, Binary seared with her powers effortlessly, before they entered the Earth's atmosphere.

It was over.

It was finally over.

Binary returned to the Starjammer, her body glowing with energy.

Immediately upon stepping into the ship, she was greeted by an angry Corsair. "That was a foolish thing to do, Carol! What if you hadn't been turned into Binary by the beam? There is no way you knew that would happen! You risked your life!"

"We all did, Corsair," Binary replied, turning off her power. "This was it for us. We couldn't lose. We had to do everything we could to win."

Corsair frowned. She was right. He knew she was. But he had taken her in like a daughter, and loved her as such. He sank into his chair. "You know how to give a man a heart attack."

Carol looked around. "How are the others?"

"Stable," Corsair replied, looking at his bandage. "Sikorsy has found a way to counteract the poison in Raza's system," he added, noticing her face becoming more placid upon the news. The two of them – Raza and Carol – had always a strong bond. Corsair had thought it was because they were both strong fighters.

He could see now, that perhaps, it had grown to become more than just that.

Corsair stared at the remains of Deathbird's ship. "I wonder what happened to Khaos," Corsair stroked the wound he had been given.

Carol shook her head. "I don't know."

"He wasn't a bad kid," Corsair added. "He just wanted to get back home. To be with his people. He would just do anything to reach that goal. I am sad, because I think we could have helped him with it."

"Do you think he's dead?" Carol asked.

"I don't see how he could have lived," Corsair replied.

"Stranger things have happened," Carol replied with a smile.

Corsair turned to her and smiled back, "You're right. Stranger things have happened." He turned back towards to viewing panel. "Regardless, I hope one way or the other, alive or dead, that he finds happiness. I know how he feels. At one time, I would have done anything, killed anyone to get Katherine back."

Hours later, Gladiator stood before Corsair and the Starjammers.

"It would seem we owe you a grand apology," Gladiator began. "As always, we seem to be on opposing sides in the beginning – but typically end up on the same side. I," he paused, "hope you can accept my apology for blindly serving Deathbird when she over threw Lilandra. My entire life has been following whoever sat on the throne – whether I believed their intentions were ill or good. I simply served the Shi'ar Empire – now I see that is wrong. We all do," he gestured to the remaining members of the Imperial Guard. "And as such, from this day forward, the Shi'ar as well as the Imperial Guard are your allies to call upon whenever you might need us."

Gladiator extended his hand to Corsair, who in turn took it and shook firmly.

Lilandra stepped forward. "Corsair," she turned to the rest of the Starjammers, facing Deathcry. "You are the rightful heir to the throne of the Shi'ar Empire."

Deathcry shook her head. "No," she sighed. "No thank you."

She took a deep breath. She lost her mother, Deathbird. She lost her family, the West Coast Avengers. The Throne was a lonely place. What she wanted was family – she turned to the Starjammers. Could they be her new family?

"If Corsair would have me," she began. "I would like my place to be with the Starjammers."

Corsair nodded his head, "Of course."

Lilandra turned to Adam-X, "Then it falls to you."

Adam-X turned his head. "I thank you Lilandra, but I have spent my life trying to find my past – my family." He turned to Corsair. "Now I know who and where my family is, I would like to spend time with them. I am not fit to rule on a throne. That honor should go to you."

Lilandra smiled. "I thank you, then. Both of you. All of you. All of your crimes have officially been cleared," she began, "for those of you who had records with the Shi'ar Empire. As far as the Empire is concerned, you are all now model citizens." She looked at Corsair and smiled, "Though I imagine that won't take long to ruin."

Corsair smiled back.

"We saved Earth," Lilandra smiled. "But we also saved the galaxy. My sister was mad with power and now we are finally free from her."

"I wonder if they will ever know," Corsair whispered. "How close they were?" He stared at Earth as it continued its peaceful rotation. "To the end."

"They may never know," Lilandra answered.

"What I don't understand is," Carol began. "When I was flying at the ship – why didn't Deathbird take a second shot at me? Surly she could have."

Adam-X looked around. "Has anyone seen Lockheed?"

"Pfui," came the sound behind him, as Lockheed landed on his shoulder with a coy smile.

Keeyah looked. "How is that possible? He was with all of you when you boarded, but in all the confusion I never beamed him back aboard the Starjammer."

Corsair smiled as he looked at Lockheed. "I think I have your answer Carol, as to why Deathbird never fired a second time." He turned to Keeyah, "And as to how he got back on the Starjammer – a wise, wise friend once told me: Stranger things have happened."

Carol and Corsair laughed.

Before the explosion.

Deathbird stared at Binary flew directly at her, only seconds away. Quickly she shouted into her wrist communicator. "Voyager, Moondancer, lock on me and get me free."

Less that milliseconds before impact, Moondancer, Voyager, Black Light, White Noise all appeared before Deathbird.A fraction of a millisecond before impact.

They blinked away.

Then the explosion came.

Somewhere, far from Earth, Deathbird screamed. "Damn the Starjammers! Damn their souls! Damn them forever!"

And yet, not too far away from the Shi'ar Throne World.

She lurked in the shadows. "So," she hissed, "you thought you would let me fall to my death, daughter of Deathbird? Well, you thought wrong… My powers saved me once more… and this time I am coming for you and your precious Starjammers."

And from the shadows, the voice that belonged to Nightside came forward. And there, in all her glory was a new Brood Queen.

THE END?

The Starjammers are now: Corsair, Hepzibah, Raza, Binary, Ch'od, Cr+eee, Keeyah, Adam-X, Deathcry, Lockheed, and Sikorsy.

The Shi'ar Empire is ruled by: Lilandra

The Imperial Guard, lead by Gladiator, now consists of: Starbolt, Oracle, Neutron, Smasher, Titan, Electron, Astra, Magique, Manta, Earthquake, Hussar, and Delphos

1\. Carol departed with the Starjammers in the issue that kicked this all off – Alternate Marvel Starjammers #1.

2\. West Coast Avengers died in the West Coast Avengers/Starjammer Crossover, in WCA # 15 and SJ #10.

3\. See Marvel's "Classic X-Men" #15 for this back-story.

4\. Corsair and the Starjammers faced D'Ken with the M'Kraan

Crystal during Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #104, 107-108

5\. See Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #154-155 for Corsair's story.

6\. These same Javelins chewed through Colossus' metal form in Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #155

7\. See Marvel's Uncanny X-Men #101


End file.
